We Can't Be Together
by ForeverFallen304
Summary: Riku loves Sora, so much. So much it hurts him and what hurts him even more is the guilt over how much he hurt Sora while in darkness... Riku's world comes crashing down as Sora confesses to Riku and Riku, feeling undeserving of such feelings... SoraxRiku
1. Confession

I got the idea for this story after having a very strange yet sad dream about Sora and Riku not being able to be together, yes its strange i know xD umm well I hope you enjoy.

P.S. story is rated M just to be safe for now...

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We Can't Be Together - Confession

_'Riku, I love you'_

_No…_ Riku thought as the cool ocean breeze brushed his face. _Did I hear him right? Did he really say _**_those_**_ words to me? _Riku just stared at Sora; who was clad in a black t-shirt and knee length jean shorts. Only moments ago he was digging his shoe-covered-feet into the sand trying to find the right words to say to Riku, to tell him how he felt but now…the shuffling had subsided and Sora stood in front of Riku, the ocean behind him, the waves crashing ever so close, his face lit hue from the sunset looked… passive? Calm? …_No_… Riku thought, _He's waiting…waiting for _**_me_**_…for _**_my_** _answer…_

…**_No_**

_No…this _**_can't_**_ be happening…for once in my life…this was the only time…I_**_ didn't_**_ want my dreams to come true…no…no, no, no…_

It's been a year since they came back home to their island and started to go back to a normal life back on the main land…Things have been going well…well as far as Riku was concerned. Everyday when he woke he would try to think of a new way to redeem himself to everyone…but actually it was only Sora. He just couldn't stand his guilt for what he had done to Sora…how much he had _hurt_ Sora…betraying him, stripping him away from Kairi and his friends (at one point), fighting with him, saying all those awful things to him…over and over he just hurt Sora so why…_how_ could he possibly have fallen in love…with _him…_

When and how Riku took Sora's heart he couldn't remember but now he deeply regretted hearing those words…

_No…he_**_can't_**_ love _**_me_**_…he just can't! _

Why? Because they were both guys, who would accept? Riku knew some but what about the others, Sora didn't deserve to go through that…also because they were both guys Riku couldn't give Sora everything else life had to offer…a family, children, marriage…maybe he was thinking to far ahead, maybe he should just think about here and now and what he wants but…_I don't **deserve** him…_

_I'm so sorry, Sora…_

"I'm sorry, Sora but I…" Riku looked away from him "…I don't feel the same…"

Riku could almost hear Sora's heart breaking as he spoke…

"I _**can't**_**…**I don't love you…not like that…" _I **can't** love you, can't you see…_

_I don't **deserve** you…and…  
I'm sorry but…**you** deserve better than **me**…_

_We_ –"…We can't be together."

* * *

Sorry this chapter is so short...the others are probably going to be similar, its the way Im writing it right now...hmm well i hope you liked

_In the next chapter_ Sora will think over what Riku said and find that maybe he _didn't_ say some things and held most back...

Also some flashes of what happened after Riku finished...rejecting Sora

Please review :( i will upload more quickly with reviews

Well take care!

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	2. Reflection

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I think I might have gone a little overboard with this chapter with emotions :( so if u really don't like something I'll do my best to fix it. 

Thanks soo much for the reviews RubyRoseoftheBlackBlood and AcerbusLuna i really appreciate it!

Alright well here's chapter two

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We Can't Be Together – Reflection 

"…_I don't feel the same…"_

"_I_**_ can't_**_…I don't love you…not like that…"_

"…_We can't be together."_

"_Im sorry, Sora…"_

Sora laid on his bed, legs crossed and arms folded behind his head.

He laid there hearing Riku's words over and over in his head…

"_I_**_ can't_**_…"_

_What did he mean by that?_

Sora thought back to Riku's face when he had said it. His eyes were glazed over in a deep pain that looked like it was tearing him apart from the inside. It didn't seem as thought he was in pain for Sora, for hurting him, but more for himself…like when he was rejecting Sora he was actually rejecting his _own_ existence… The overwhelming pain in his eyes…. he looked like he was dieing…

"…_We can't be together."_

The way he said it…so final. Like it was a fact, something that couldn't be changed…

I almost seemed like he was saying it partly more to himself than to Sora.

Like he had to remind _himself_ that it couldn't happen…

_But why?_

Sora thought as he rolled to his side, rapping his arms around himself protectively.

_What's so wrong with it? …with me?_

Sora began to frown

_Does he find it wrong? Does he feel something more towards me than friendship –is he ashamed? …Because Im a guy…_

A tear fell from Sora's eye and he quickly moved a hand to cover his eyes

"No…no more tears…stop it."

Sora began to shudder and convulse a bit…. then he began to quietly sob

_Why am I so weak? I couldn't keep myself from crying then either…it just…hurt so much… he doesn't want me…_

_"Riku" -hick- _

* * *

"…_We can't be together."_

Riku waited a moment. Waited for Sora, for him to do _something_, say _something_…

When he heard nothing but the waves crashing he turned his head back toward Sora slowly. It pained him what he saw…

Sora was standing there, fists balled at his sides, trembling, his head turned slightly to the side, eyes squeezed tightly shut, he was biting his lip… he was trying _not_ to cry.

He was trying _so_ hard.

_Oh Sora…_

Riku didn't hesitate, probably couldn't if he tried, he went to Sora, closing the distance between them in a warm embrace. Sora chocked on a gasp mixed with tears. He tried to turn to see Riku's face, to try and understand why he was doing this but couldn't for Riku's head was on his shoulder and he was pushed toward his.

"Im sorry, Sora…"

Sora closed his eyes tightly again and began to grip at the back of Riku's vest. He began biting his lip again and shuddered, burring his face to Riku's shoulder. Sora was trying, he really was, but it just hurt _so_ much…_too_ much…he wanted to cry...no...he wanted to die…

"It's alright to cry, Sora… I'm right here…"_ and I love you…_

He whimpered at first, Riku was being _too_ kind… Sora couldn't hold back any longer and he broke into sobs, long hard sobs. Those kinds of sobs that when you hold onto them too long make it near impossible to stop once you started. Sora held Riku tighter as he wept, calling his name in pained, begging cries between sobs. Riku just held Sora close to him, returning each one of Sora's tight grips with one of his own.

It was dark by the time Sora fell silent…even after he stopped crying he just stayed there, holding Riku to him…but then Sora suddenly released Riku and pulled away from him, his eyes dead as he stared blankly at the ground. "It's late…we should go…" His voice came out horse and empty.

"Sora?" Riku tilted his head slightly to the side, trying to catch Sora's eyes, but Sora never look up once from the ground…he didn't even move as the water began to get his shoes wet. He just stood there…silent…motionless…_e_motionless…

--

Sora felt dead.

After he cried out his pain and love, he went numb…his emotions left him…he was tired, drain, listless…and _so__ empty_…

He wanted nothing more than then to be one with the ground…to just sink down to the furthest depths til there was nothing left, til he was nothing…

He wanted Riku to change his mind, tell him he loved him back, that he'd love him forever, and that he'd never leave his side again…

He wanted this day to have never happened, he wanted to take back his confession, he should have kept his feelings to himself, he should have never thought he had a chance…

Why would Riku want _him_…a _weak_,_ pathetic, boy,_ who couldn't even hold back tears…

How stupid was he to think that somewhere deep down Riku returned those feeling?

…_more than stupid_

He thought,

_I'm more like dim-witted, dull, brainless, dense, simple-minded, thickheaded, silly, foolish, senseless boy…that couldn't even see that his best friend, that he's know his whole life…felt…nothing like he was feeling… _

_I guess I really don't know him as well as I thought…otherwise…I'd known better…_

Sora felt ashamed of himself, so much so, he felt sick…he pulled himself away from Riku, and took only partial notice to the now surrounding darkness to realize the passage of time that had occurred…and he didn't care…he just wanted this night, this moment…his existence…to _end_… he didn't want to burden Riku with these feelings, that wasn't his intention at all but…that's what happened…

Or at least, that's what Sora felt had happened…and he couldn't…do _anything_…to change that now…_nothing_…nothing but bring this night to an end…

_"It's late…we should go…"_

--

Riku stepped forward and took Sora by the shoulders and shook him lightly, "Sora?" Riku tried again to get Sora to look at him, and this time it worked.

Sora lifted his head slowly and met Riku's eyes with his dead-empty ones.

This pained Riku more, for there was nothing in or behind those eyes….no love, no life…no light…not even sadness…there was _nothing_, and that scared Riku.

This was Riku's fault. He was the one to blame for Sora current state… and the guilt was eating at him…

He couldn't stand the way Sora looked…

He couldn't bare the way he was feeling…

He took Sora home…walked him to his front door and didn't leave until Sora had fully entered the house…

Riku stood in front of Sora's house for a moment longer and wondered

_Am I ever going to see him smile again? _

* * *

Riku shook his head from side-to-side to vanquish the memory as he stepped out of the shower. 

He reached over and grabbed a towel and began to dry his hair. After pulling the towel away and flipping his hair back, he was met with his own reflection in the half fogged mirror –he turned from it quickly at first, unable to look at himself since that night…

He couldn't stand himself for hurting Sora so bad…

Then a thought occurred to him and he turned back to his reflection in the mirror. He leaned over the sink to get a better look at himself.

He was trying to see what Sora saw…what it could be that drew Sora to him in such a way…and cause Sora to love _him_…

Riku frowned, he saw nothing, nothing at all…

He turned his back to the mirror, deep in thought…

Last night had ended so badly, and it was almost night _again_…

He new he had to do something, _something_, to make it up to Sora…

But what could he do?

_What could he possibly do?_

_-- _

There was a light knock at Sora's bedroom door.

Sora turned on his bed to find Riku coming through his door closing it behind him.

"_Riku…" _Sora said astonished barely above a whisper.

Riku turned to him slowly, frowning. "I'm sorry, Sora –"Riku you don't-" Riku held up his hand to quiet Sora, "I'm sorry for what I said the other night, truly sorry, as I rightfully should because –_oh Sora!_" Riku fell to his knees in front of Sora, "I was lying at the beach, I do have feelings for you, by the gods, Sora, I love you more than life itself!" Riku was looking into Sora's eyes now, his eyes darting back and forth between Sora's eyes to try and read them. He had taken Sora's hand in his and held it close to his face, closing his eyes, "I'm sorry for lying to you Sora, I'm sorry for hurting you so bad, and I know I don't deserve it but please-" Sora used his free hand to cup Riku's cheek, Riku opened his eyes and stared into Sora's, "please forgive me?"

The desperate pealing in his voice and eyes was too much for Sora to bear. He wanted to speak, to tell Riku that 'it was alright' and 'I love you too' but the words wouldn't' come, his voice was paralyzed in the evening light…So Sora did the only thing he could think of to calm Riku and answer him –Sora lifted Riku's chin slightly and, while blushing like mad, leaned forward and kissed Riku sweetly…

-Beep-Beep-Beep- CLANK

Sora leaned over and smacked his alarm and then realizing something turned franticly in his bed, "Riku!?"

He wasn't next to him, not on his floor, not anywhere in his room and Sora realized that...Riku had never been there…it was all a _dream_, another pointless, painful, hauntingly sweet dream –the kind that have been plaguing him since there return to the island from the World That Never Was…but now these dreams were even more painful and real, for these dreams played off of the feelings from the night he confessed…

_It had felt so real…I …could feel his soft lips on mine…_

Tears welled in Sora's eyes

_But that's never going to happen is it? It's always going to be a dream…_

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well thats it, what did you think? Do you guys still like it so far? 

In the next chapter: Today is Monday so you know what that means -school!

You'll find out Kairi's roll in the events that happened over the weekend

And we'll see how Sora and Riku interact after such a distressing weekend...

Plz, plz, Please review :( it will make me happy and work quicker

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	3. Bittersweet

Thanks for the Reviews!:

AcerbusLuna

RubyRoseoftheBlackBlood

kivakogoa

wow this chapter ended up being 12 pages in Word  
...i think i might take back what i said in chapter 1 about short chapters xD lol well enjoy!

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We Can't Be Together – Bittersweet 

"_Riku…" –hick- "Riku!"_

Riku stared at his clock waiting for the final minute to pass. His eyelids felt heavy, Riku tried desperately to keep them open, focusing on the clock, waiting for it to change, but failed and his eyes fell shut…

He saw Sora…in front of him again…eyes dead, lifeless, emotionless – it gave Riku the chills.

"_RIKU!"_

Riku shot forward on his bed, a cold sweat forming, even though he only slept for half a minutes. Riku turned to the low murmur of his alarm clock's radio - signaling it was time to get up.

Riku had switch the clock's usual beeping alarm to the radio, after realizing how much the beeps reminded him of Sora's memory restoration…

He would dream of the static computer screen and then after hearing _Restoration --_Riku would jolt awake in a sweat such as this…but this sweat was cause by different, more hunting dreams…

Riku turned forward and covered his face with a hand, taking deep breaths in and out, trying to calm himself…then he ran the hand backwards, through his hair, sighed, and got out of bed.

In the bathroom Riku reached to open the mirror/medicine cabinet but stopped when he saw his reflection. From the lack of sleep for the past few nights, Riku had little bags under his eyes that had turned slightly purple from another sleepless night.

Riku sighed and opened the cabinet, took out his toothbrush, and began to brush his teeth while leaving the cabinet open, so he wouldn't have to see himself.

_God I feel awful… _Riku thought, placing a hand to his forehead

Every time I close my eyes, he's all I see…which I would mind if he did look so…awful… 

Riku's faced tightened in pain a bit

_Every sound, every little sound I hear sounds like him crying out to me…begging me, over and over…as he sobs…-"_Gahh…" Riku grabbed his head as a wave of pain splintered through at the sound of a knock at the bathroom door.

"Riku?"

"Riku!" 

"Riku, dear, hurry up, or your going to be late."

"…yeah…alright…"

There was a pause outside the door. "Riku, are you alright?"

Riku dropped his toothbrush and grabbed his head with both hands, closing his eyes tightly against the light. He didn't want to close his eyes, the image was just too painful, but when he opened his eyes the pain in his head increased tremendously, _"Ahhh…"_Riku reclosed his eyes.

_I need to see him…see him smile, see him happy…I need to see he's alright…I need to __know__ he's alright…so that I can get this image out of my head…and his cries out of my ears…but…even if he is alright…the pain I feel…this pain in my chest from knowing I hurt him again…it wont go away…because I will never forgive myself for hurting him like this…_

"Yeah…I'm fine, mom…"

--

Sora walked slowly to the steps of the school's entrance; math book in hand and eyes to the ground, then when he went to step forward a hand pulled him back by his shoulder.

"Hey Sora!" Selphie called and almost tackled Sora in a hug. "Geez Selphie, calm down." Kairi said as she pulled Selphie off of Sora. "Thanks Kairi…" Sora mumbled, fixing his uniform. "Yeah no problem…" Kairi looked at Sora anxiously, then she turned to Selphie and said, "Oh hey Selphie-" Kairi quickly looked around, Selphie turned to her, "Yeah?"

"Look Selphie! Flowers, you should go pick some!" Kairi pointed about 10 feet over to some little yellow flowers in the grass. "Oh! Flowers, yay!" Selphie ran over to them. Kairi sighed in relief and turned to Sora, he was still just staring at the ground, but right as Kairi was about to speak –"Kairi, I think these are just dandelions.-"No they're not!"

"…Oh…Alright!" Selphie went back to picking and Kairi sighed again. Then she turned to Sora, tilting her head to the side a little trying to see his face, and then she whispered, "_So…how'd it go with Riku_?"

Sora flinched, then frowned and closed his eyes, "…it didn't…he doesn't…he…" Sora lifted his head and looked Kairi in the eyes, she thought she could see tears forming, "He doesn't feel the same, Kairi. We were wro-"Riku! Tidus! Hey!"

Sora and Kairi turned to find Selphie waving and running towards the gate with her flowers, following her with their eyes they found Riku and Tidus at the gate. Riku and Tidus watch as Selphie, from what it looked like, was bouncing up and down showing them her pretty flowers. Then when she tried to offer them to Tidus and he shook his head at her, denying her flowers, she tackled him to the ground and tried to force them to him. That's when Riku turned and notice Sora. Their eyes locked, and it seemed like the world had stopped…

Kairi noticed the lock of eyes and leaned to Sora and whispered again, "_Sora_?"

Sora's book slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground with a -_PLOP_-

Sora jumped from the sound, his trance with Riku broken -rejection swept through him and he turned and ran into the school.

"Sora!?" Kairi called after him, then turning back noticed Riku was looking in the direction Sora had run, frowning.

How could things have gone so wrong? Kairi wondered…. 

_-- Flash back: a few weeks after the return from the World That Never Was--_

_Sora was over at Kairi's house after school. They decided to partner up for a project together and wanted to get it started tonight…well…at least that's why Sora thought Kairi had invited him over…_

Sora was on the floor of Kairi's room spreading out their poster board and supplies to get ready. Kairi was behind Sora, sitting in her computer chair backwards, blushing:

_God this is so embarrassing, I mean, I don't know how I feel about him but…I see him acting differently, I mean, I don't know, I know Sora and from the way he's been acting…I'd think he was in love…just from the way he smiles and seems to get distant at times…_

Kairi frowned a little

Maybe it's just the time we were apart why he seems different to me but… 

Kairi closed her eyes

_No…I know my Sora, no matter how much time apart…he's feeling something…there is something he's hiding from me, and as his friend it is my job to find out what that is! …right?_

"Kairi?"

Kairi opened her eyes and looked to Sora, "Huh?"

"…Did you just fall asleep or something? Or are just spacing out again?" Sora asked lifting an eyebrow;

Kairi blushed and frowned angrily, "No I was NOT _'spacing out'_…humph…"

Kairi spun her chair away from Sora, leaving him to look at her back. Sora laughed a little, "Yeah, yeah, of course not, what was I thinking -ha"

Kairi turned her head slightly to Sora, "Hey, Sora…?"

Sora noticed the change in Kairi's tone and stopped laughing, "Yeah…?"

_God I am going to feel so stupid after this but…it's the only way to get him to talk…force him to be honest…something Sora can't help but be…_

"…Sora, I…I-I like you-WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME?" Kairi almost yelled blushing even more.

Sora just stared at her dumbfounded and blinked a few times before replying, "…like me?"

"Yes…"

"Like…like-like, like when you say go 'out' you mean like a…a date? You like-"Yes Sora I like you and yes as in a date and as in be my boyfriend." Kairi was scarlet and starting to get frustrated. Having to put her self out here like this to get her answer was embarrassing, but it's the only way she could think of to get Sora to tell her who he liked…she had to tough it out and fight the urge to beat Sora with the chair she was currently sitting on.

"Oh…" Sora just looked to the floor, fidgeting with a ruler in his hands. Then after a few minutes he stopped, and after a moment more looked back up to Kairi, "Kairi…I…I have feelings for someone else-" Sora looked back down ashamed, "Not that I wouldn't want to try with you but I don't think I would be fair for either of us…if I have such strong feeling for another person…plus, Kairi, to be honest…" Sora looked back to her, "I've always kinda thought of you as a cool sister or something." Kairi looked astonished

_I can't believe its working…_

Sora took her astonished gaze wrongly though and panicked, "I-I, I'm sorry Kairi!" Sora put his head to the ground, "Please forgive me, I don't want to loose you as a friend, I-" Sora stopped when a hand was placed on his head. Sora looked up and Kairi smiled at him, rubbing his head, "Oh, common Sora! Oh course nothing gunna change," Sora began to smile at her, relived, "But," Sora raised an eyebrow, "I think it's only fair if you tell me who the person is who has stolen my precious Sora's heart." Kairi said smiling at him broadly.

Sora just blinked at her

"C'mon Sora! Tell me!" Kairi yelled, shaking Sora by his shoulders

"I-It's – It's Riku! I-I love Riku! Alright!?"

Kairi stopped shaking him, and Sora put a hand to his head to stop the room from spinning.

"Riku…?" Sora looked up to find Kairi had removed a hand from his shoulder and had placed it under her chin as she thought.

Kairi was quiet for a few minutes, and the silence was making Sora nervous

_What did I just say?!_

_No, no, no – Why did I say that?! Why?_

Sora began to feel ashamed of himself and feared how Kairi would react.

"Oh…" was all Sora heard from Kairi when she finally spoke. Sora looked to her, feeling his gaze Kairi turned to him, "I get it now…it all makes sense…"

_Makes sense? …How does any of this 'make sense'? _Sora thought

"I've seen the way you look at him, Sora, I just could never place what it was in your eyes when you did it. It was like...contentment…you seemed happy to just watch him, know he's near, know he's alright…then you'd smile and seem just a little bit happier…"

Sora was blushing scarlet by now, Kairi noticed this and smiled at him. Sora turned away quickly, embarrassed.

"You've loved him for a long time haven't you?" Sora just sat there quiet, "How long, Sora?"

Sora just fidgeted into a different sitting position, and hid his face.

"Before we left the island? Or after…?"

Sora was quiet for a moment, then replied, "After…"

Kairi sat there quietly, Sora looked to her and realized she was waiting for more, he looked back down and continued, "Before…before the door was opened to our world…before any of that happened, I only saw Riku as my best friend," Kairi thought she saw Sora smile a little, "And sometimes as my rival, heh, _we were always competing_…but then, then after we were separated, nothing changed at first. All I knew was…I needed to find you guys, 'I'm going to find Kairi and Riku and then we can all go home together' …I told myself that many times, and that's what I believed but…Then when I started to run into Riku over the different worlds…he seemed so different…so angry…at _me…_it hurt, to be on different sides…to have someone I cared for so much…_hate _me…"

"Sora-"No…I know he doesn't hate me…it's just how I felt at the time…"

Sora took in a deep breath and released it slowly before continuing, "Then after defeating Ansem, I…the door…" Sora stopped as he was hit with the memory…

"_The Heartless!?" Goofy and Donald called out_

"_Hurry!" cried Donald_

"_I can't…" I spoke, I couldn't shut it, I wasn't strong enough…_

_A hand grabbed the door from the opposite side "Don't give up!"_

_It was Riku…_

"_Come on, Sora! Together we can do it!"_

"_Okay!" I wasn't thinking at the time…I don't think I fully realized until after…_

"_Now, Sora! Let's close this door for good!" the King spoke to me…_

"_Close it quick!" Donald called to me…_

"_But…" …Riku…_

"_Don't worry. There will always be a door to the light." The King…_

"_Sora, you can trust King Mickey." Goofy…_

_Can I…?_

"_Now! They're coming!" Riku…_

_And then…in the last moment before the door shut he turned to me and smiled…how I will never understand, "Take care of her."_

_I nodded…and I closed to door to darkness…and to him…_

"Sora?"

Sora flinched a little, being brought back to reality, "After that…after that, I don't remember what happened but I woke up. I guess some time…quiet a bit of time actually, must have passed, from how much I had grown out of my cloths…but still…no one knew where Riku was...no one…but," Tears filled Sora's eyes, "But he was there all along, he was there helping me the whole time, and I…" the tears were falling down Sora's face but he kept his voice even, "To answer you Kairi…I think I loved Riku ever since I lost him, but…but I didn't fully realize my feeling until we were reunited again…" Sora looked up to her, tears streaming but he was smiling at her, "The moment you put my hand on his…and I closed my eyes…when I opened them and knew…knew he was alive I…"

_I took his hand with both of mine, "Riku…"_

"_It's Riku." I fell to my knees, "Riku's here…"_

"_I looked for you!" Believe me…_

_I couldn't stop the tears…I didn't want to…_

"_C'mon, Sora. You've got to pull it together." Riku…_

_Pull it together? But I wanted to fall apart…_

"_I looked everywhere for you!" I looked to him_

_Where were you? I needed you. Didn't you know? _

"_I didn't want you to find me."_

_What…?_

"_But it was him that was helpin' us, wasn't it?" Goofy…_

_Yes it was…Riku…_

_I put a hand to my chest…_

"_Why didn't you let me know you were okay?"_

_Why…?_

"_I told you. I didn't want to be found." He looked away _

"_Not like this…I couldn't." he held up his hands to examine them…his face was so pained…_

_oh Riku…_

"…I was overwhelmed with relief, and everything I had been holding back, up to that point, all the pain, worry, and tears…was released…'_Riku's here'_…Riku was there, it wasn't a dream, trick or fabrication…it was Riku…and at that point I knew the pain I had been carrying in my chest was for him, it was because _I loved_ _him_…when he was returned back to his normal body…and I saw his eyes for the first time in…I don't even know how long, _it felt like forever_…I just knew there was no denying how I felt and I knew I would go through it all again just to bring him home…I just wanted to go home…no…" Sora looked down, "No…that wasn't it…I was scared…scared that…if he didn't come back with us…I'd lose him again…I'd lose him _forever…_" Sora just sat there after that…silent.

Kairi wasn't sure what to do at first, but she grabbed Sora by the shoulders and shook him lightly, "But it's alright now, Sora. Riku's here, we're all home, safe." She pulled Sora into a hug, "You did it, Sora…You found him…your_ home_…It's alright now."

Sora felt everything he had pushed to the back of his mind, all the pain and sadness, that was built up, fall apart, and he cried…he cried for a long time...he cried out every loss he had, and for every hard time he had to be strong…

_-- Flash back: 6 months later--_

It seemed as though ever since Sora confessed to Kairi about Riku, he couldn't stop talking about him. Every chance Kairi and Sora had to hang out, Sora would tell her every little thing he noticed about Riku that day or something he had said or done for Sora. Usually Sora would be blushing and smiling like a fool while talking about him – stumbling over his words and laughing nervously. Kairi could only smile as he'd do this and realized how much Sora reminded her of a girl with a crush and thinking that she'd start giggling to herself causing Sora to stop talking and ask why Kairi was laughing – she would only wave her hand in front of her and she'd try to say 'nothing' as she desperately tried to stop laughing.

But that didn't last too much longer.

Sora started to stop talking about Riku as much and would get really quiet at times. Kairi would try to get him to talk by asking questions like, "So, did you see Riku today?" and he would simply answer "yes" and stop there.

Then one day Kairi couldn't take it anymore. After school one day she dragged Sora to her house and asked him why he's so sad and depressed lately and why he never talks about Riku anymore.

"It's nothing, Kairi…" Sora said looking away

"Yes it is…Sora, what's wrong? I don't think I've seen you truly happy in weeks. Did…Riku do something?"

"No…"

"Then what-"I'm…I'm just a bit…lonely…"

"Lonely? What do you mean?"

"Lets face the facts Kairi, Riku sees me as a friend and nothing more and…and it hurts to want to be so much closer to someone who…who doesn't feel the same…Riku is never going to feel this way for me _ever_, and…I feel so…it makes me lonely because I'm not sure if I can move on, without him. I can't even think of loving another person in the way I love him. I want him and only him and I…_cant…"_

Kairi bent down a little to try and get Sora to look at her,

"How can you be so sure he doesn't feel the same?"

Sora looked to her confused, "How could I not be?"

Kairi smiled lightly "Silly Sora, how could you be so sure? Have you asked him how he feels? Have you asked him to kiss you and he refused?"

"No! Of course not!" Sora yelled blushing scarlet

Kairi's smile reached her eyes, "Then how could you know?"

Sora fidgeted, "He doesn't act like he does…"

"Sora…have you ever considered that maybe Riku wasn't sure of his own feelings? Or maybe that he was unsure of yours?"

"What…do you mean?" Sora asked slowly

"He might have feelings for you too, Sora, whether or not he understands them…he may love you too."

Sora blinked at Kairi, then asked, "But…how would we know?"

"Well…" Kairi thought for a moment, "Would you like to find out?"

"How?"

"I'm going to need your full cooperation with this, Sora. Riku wears a mask to hide his feelings, if there is one person that forces the real Riku out, it's you."

Sora blushed, "What would I have to do?"

"Ask him to do things with you, or to help you. Talk to him; hug him-"Kairi!"

"What?"

Sora blushed more and began to gnaw on his lip as he replied; "I do those types of things already…so how would I be able to tell?"

"I'll be paying attention from a distance. You may not see the changes in him when you're around him because you're used to it but I should be able to."

_For the next few months Sora went along with Kairi's plan. Still though, there would be times when Sora would refuse to do some things; such as the one time Kairi told Sora to surprise Riku with a kiss, Sora refused of course too scared of what might happen. But Sora went along with most other plans, such as sneak up to Riku and surprise him with a hug, which would send Riku blushing and plus Sora enjoyed the hugs. Sometimes she'd have Sora ask Riku for hugs and sometimes even in front of others (which was difficult for Sora to agree to) to see if Riku would do it or not, but of course Riku hugged him; who could refuse Sora's pout? _

_Then other times Kairi would find out days that Riku had some plans with some friends and, without informing Sora that Riku would have plans, told Sora to go ask Riku to do something the day of his original plans; Riku always dropped everything for Sora._

_But Kairi still wasn't sure: Was it love that made Riku do this…or guilt?_

_Everyone had a pretty good feeling Riku felt guilty over whatever happened during their disappearance from the island, just by the way Riku acted…like he was trying to make everyone around him happy (his friends anyways) and that wasn't like the old Riku; the old Riku was proud and stubborn, when he thought of something, he fallowed it through, no matter what others said. Riku was always calm, cool, and collected around his friends but never so…agreeing and nice. Riku was usually sarcastic and unconcerned… but… Riku still treated Sora differently than their other friends. At first Kairi thought that maybe it was because he'd hurt Sora the most and he was his best friend but…no that didn't seem to fit…not with the way he reacted, it just seemed different…could it be…maybe Riku did so much more for Sora because he felt more guilt towards him because…perhaps he had fallen for Sora? The guilt was stronger because by hurting Sora, he hurt the one person he treasured most…_

_--The weekend before Sora confessed to Riku—_

_Sora was at Kairi's house for the weekend. Usually they spent that time planning their strategy for the next week to reveal Riku's feelings; but apparently Kairi decided it was time for Sora to step up the notch and confess to Riku…_

"What?! There is no way I could do that!"

"Sora calm down…" Kairi said placing a hand to her head

"I can't calm down! W-w-w-what am I expose to say? W-what am I going to do if he says no? He's going to say no! I know it!" Kairi grabbed Sora by the shoulders and shook him roughly, "Sora would you cut-it-out and listen to me for-5-minutes!?"

Sora stopped, he was surprise Kairi had yelled at him…he didn't know she could.

"Thanks you…" Kairi said releasing Sora and taking a seat across from him on the bed Kairi had made for Sora on the floor near her bed.

"Now Sora we've been talking about this all week. I really do think Riku has feelings for you; and when I pointed out my reasons, you agreed."

"Yes but…"

"No buts Sora. If you love him, go get him. You can't expect him to wait for you forever,"

_Even though I think Riku would…_

"If you do that there is a very good chance you'll end up alone."

It hurt Kairi to see the pain she had caused Sora by her words but it couldn't be helped. Kairi was afraid that if Sora didn't confess soon, Riku might put himself in a place where he wouldn't be able to _let_ himself love Sora, if he hadn't already…

"…Yeah, I understand…but," Sora looked back to Kairi, "How am I suppose to go about this…? I _cant_…just walk up to him at school and…" Sora looked back to the floor, "I cant, I'm scared Kairi…really scared…I don't want him to hate me, I don't want to _lose Riku_…" Kairi placed her hands on Sora's shoulders again and gave them a light squeeze, "Sora…? Look at me?" Sora lifted his head and looked to Kairi, tears were forming in his eyes.

"Even if Riku doesn't feel them same, even if he rejects you, Sora…" Kairi moved a hand to cup Sora's cheek to get his wandering tear filled eyes to look into her eyes, "He would _never_ hate you…"

Sora blinked a few times and tears fell as he leaned into Kairi's touch, "…how can you be so sure?"

Kairi smile lightly, "Because you're his best friend, Sora. He loves you more than anything and even if it doesn't pass the line of friendship, he'll never leave you, he'll always stay by your side, as long as he knows you want him there. And he'll never betray you again, and he could _never_ hate you, even if he wanted to, and he never would and do you know why?"

Sora shook his head as more tears fell from his closed eyes

"…Because he loves you Sora…he loves you so much…" Kairi leaned forward and placed her forehead to Sora's, "You need to believe it Sora…believe it…believe me…believe in _him_…" Sora began to tremble and sob, his feeling were just too much to handle, and he was just _so_ scared of Riku rejecting him, looking at him ashamed and disgusted…he couldn't stand the thought…

Kairi held Sora until he calmed down, then said, "And to answer your first question, Sora. You should just…invite him over to do homework or something…or go to the island, or you could invite him to sleep over, you'd guys have plenty of time to talk then."

"Sleepover!?" Sora said sitting up immediately

"Yeah why not- oh come on Sora! You really don't think Riku try to rape you or something after you confessed to him, do you?"

Sora turned red and look down

"You do! You pervert, you probably _want_ that to happen!" Kairi laughed as she threw a pillow at Sora

"N-no of course not!"

"Yes you do"

"No!"

And thus a pillow fight came to pass…

Later Sora had decided he would wait to the following weekend to 'hang out' and confess to Riku. He said it would give him enough time to find a good excuse to hand out with Riku; Kairi tried to explain to him that he didn't need an excuse to hand out with Riku, Riku was his best friend and that wasn't going to change just because of Sora's confession to him. But Sora wouldn't listen to Kairi; he was dead-set to waiting for the fallowing weekend to confess to Riku. And whether or not that was because he wanted more time with Riku or if he was just putting it off as long as he could (without Kairi causing him physical harm) Kairi wasn't sure… 

--End of Flash backs—

Riku walked to where Kairi stood and bent down to pick up the book Sora had abandoned. He stared at its cover intently; the memory of Friday morning came to him…

"Riku, will you come over my house after school and help me with my calculus?" 

_(A/N: Sora was pretty smart, he was already taking calculus with the seniors but math just happened to be something Riku was really good at too so he was also in the class_

_(Riku: Junior, Sora: Sophomore)) _

"_Calculus? What do you need help with?"_

_Sora blushed, "I may be smart Riku, but I'm no genius. Math isn't one of my strong points, it's yours…"_

_Riku smirked, Sora was in a senior's honors calculus class, and math wasn't a strong point of his?_

" _Sure, I guess. Want me to wait for you at the school gate?"_

_Sora blushed more and looked to the ground. "Yeah sure…"_

_The bell started to ring and Sora looked up to the school's clock tower and then back to Riku, "Alright see you then." Sora said as he began to run off to class…_

The memory slowly faded away…

"Riku…"

"Hey Kairi." Riku said lifting up the math book and standing his full height, looking ahead, avoiding Kairi's gaze.

"Riku, _why?_"

Riku flinched from Kairi's tone

So she knew… 

"…I thought-"

"Its because I don't deserve him…" Riku walked by Kairi and went off in the direction Sora had gone a moment ago.

"But hey, wait –Riku!" Kairi called after him.

Riku didn't turn back

_But he deserves to be happy…_

--

_Some where…I need to go somewhere…I can't…_

Sora ran down the hall into a more deserted hallway of the school, where the old music room used to be, that was now a storage room. Sora ran up to the door and slammed against it.

_Here…alright…it's alright…don't…don't cry…_

Sora breathed in deeply and began to reach for the door handle

_I can just go in here, calm down…and…wait-_

Sora noticed something strange. He jiggled the handle – nothing

_Oh you have got to be kidding me…_

Sora began to struggle and pull the handle, but the door wouldn't budge

_It's never lock! Why now…why of all days, it happens today…why, why…_

Sora slumped forward against the door, and began to whimper.

"_Why…_Why does hurt so much!" Sora said slamming a fist against the door

"Because…that's the way love is…it hurts…"

Sora's eye's widened and he turned quickly to find…Riku

--

Riku walked briskly down the hall trying to think of where Sora may have gone.

_Come on Riku, Think! Where would Sora go, at school, if he were upset…where…somewhere he could be alone?_

Riku began to peek into different classrooms as he made his way down the hall. Nothing, no sign of Sora, not even the slightest clue.

Riku passed by the old abandoned hallway, but then stepped back to take a closer look

Could he have gone down here?

Riku heard someone struggling with a door handle down the hall. Riku began to make his way down the hall slowly, quietly, so he wouldn't surprise whoever was down there, especially if it was Sora; he didn't want Sora to run from him…

Riku came to the edge of the wall in the old hallway and heard whimpering, he turned his head to look around the corner and found Sora…

"_Why…_Why does hurt so much!" Sora raised his balled hand and slammed it against the door.

Riku frowned

_Oh Sora…_

--

"_Because…that's the way love is…it hurts…"_

Sora just stared at him for, what felt like, a long time…

Riku just stared back, with his head slightly tilted, his face sad…

"_R-R_…_-hick- Riku_…" Sora said barely above a whisper

"Here…you dropped this." Riku held out Sora's calculus book to him.

Sora started at the book as _its_ part in this weekend replayed itself before his eyes…

"_Alright so first you see what your missing…cross out that…find the answer to this…"_

_Riku looks so good today…Gah! Focus! I…I have to find the words…how…how am I going to do this?_

"_So you get it?" _

_Riku looked to find Sora staring at him, but not replying. Riku blushed and scrunched his face._

"_Sora, are you even listening?" _

_Sora jumped, "Huh? What?" He looked between Riku and the open calculus book and notebook._

_Riku sighed, "You haven't hear a single word I've said in the last five minutes, have you?"_

_Sora laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head, blushing, "Um, no, guess not! Heh…"_

_Riku stared at him for a moment then sighed again placing down his pencil, "Look Sora, obviously you've got other things on your mind, so-"Riku lets go to the island!"_

_Riku blinked at Sora, "What?"_

"_Come on right now, lets go! We haven't been in a while; it might be fun. Just you and me, what do you say?"_

The memory faded and he had the math book's cover to greet him…or more like taunt him…

"_Thanks_…" Sora mumbled, taking the book out of Riku's hand.

"Look Sora-"No…no it's alright Riku…you don't have to, I'm fine…really…"

_It hurts…_

Sora, still looking to the ground, closed his eyes tightly, fighting against the tears.

"Sora…"

Sora breathed in sharply and turned away from Riku, covering his face, "You should go." Sora's voice sounded like it was on the brink of tears.

Sora could hear Riku come closer, "_Please Riku_- " Sora could feel his control slipping as the tears fell free "_I don't wanna do this…not in front of you"_

Sora felt Riku's hand grab his arm and turn him, "Rik-" Sora was cut-off by the soft lips that crashed against his, and the book fell from Sora's hand to the floor…

Riku slipped one arm around Sora's waist to pull him closer and slipped up his other hand from Sora's arm to the back of his head, and pulled him deeper into the kiss.

Sora's eyes were slowly falling shut, his heart began to beat fast, it stopped hurting, and he began to feel light. The kiss started out slow, gentle, and sweet; Sora joined in, after a moment, kissing Riku sweetly in return.

Riku licked Sora's lips, asking for entrance, and Sora opened his mouth willingly. He allowed his eyes to fall shut, as he slipped his arms free from their confinements of Riku's chest to around his neck, pulling him closer.

Riku slipped his tongue into Sora's mouth, and began to explore. Sora was in ecstasy. This is all he's ever wanted; just to be close to Riku, to feel as if they were one, if only for a moment.

Sora slid his tongue against Riku's sensually, and Riku slide back against his.

The kiss was sweet; it's what Sora felt he needed.

It was sweet but there was something else in the kiss: there was pain. The kiss had love in it, but also remorse…. why did it hurt? Who was in pain: him or Riku?

Sora could figure it out and didn't care to. Sora would take this kiss, for all the love it held… and the pain. If this was all he could get from Riku, this one kiss, he'd take it and cherish it…_forever_…

This one kiss, that was so sweet…yet bitter…

It was bittersweet…

* * *

Well thats it, I hope you guys enjoyed. 

Please, as always, i love reviews, they make me happy :)

In the next chapter: The school day continues! Riku makes plans with Sora after school to talk... Sora's nervous of what he might want to say...

xD thats all i got so far

Well take care, please review! and thanks for reading!


	4. Truth

Thank you to all my reviewers and readers:

-RubyRoseoftheBlackBlood

-Mentally Insane Fangirl

-kivakogoa

-lokkish

-emeraldeyes1029

-AcerbusLuna

-Timeoffire45

-Captara

-YaoiFanGirl101

-earthlover

(Hope i got everyone o.o)

:) well thanks again!

* * *

We Can't Be Together – Truth 

_It was bittersweet…_

_In a way it was like his love for Sora…for their love for each other…_

_So full of good intensions, so full of true and honest feelings…_

_Just so full of true love, nothing more…_

_Nothing more than regret…_

_Love was good, but this was wrong…for so many reasons…_

_Mainly because of him…_

_He loved Sora but he had hurt him…_

_Sora love him but those were feelings he…wasn't worthy of …_

_No, none of it…none of what he had done to Sora was just, no matter how betrayed or jealous he had felt at the time…so what if he made some new deformed animal friends…he should have known Sora still cared…no matter how arrogant he may have seemed with that damned key and his silly new friends…_

_He didn't want to bring up such old memories, they brought with them old feelings…_

_Feelings of betrayal and jealousy…_

_Then the guilt for feeling such things…_

_And then his love for Sora bring him pain for ever thinking such thoughts, feeling such things…_

_Sora was always so pure… he had of way of making Riku feel realization _

_To see things in light…instead of darkness…_

_He realized what he had done, he become conscious of the pain he caused Sora…_

_Even now…while they kissed he realized_

_He didn't deserve this,_

_He didn't deserve him… _

_He'd be lying to himself if he said he was only doing this for Sora…but no…_

_He wanted this, he needed this, he felt, more that both of them._

_But then when Sora pushed his tongue back against his…_

_Riku's heart skipped a beat and a wave of emotion washed over him and he realized_

_Sora need this too, Sora needed him._

_Sora…_

_Riku wanted to make him happy but…how?_

They parted for air. Sora rested his head against Riku's shoulder as he breathed in deeply. Riku did the same as he leaned down and nuzzled and kissed Sora's neck lovingly. Sora flinched at first from surprise and shock from what Riku was doing, but then moaned lightly, pleadingly, as he tried to push himself closer to Riku, gripping and tugging on his shirt.

"…Sora?"

Sora went still and hugged Riku lightly; as though he was scared Riku might leave him, "…yeah?"

"We…need to talk." Riku said as he caressed the back of Sora's head with one hand and tightened his grip around Sora's waist with the other.

Sora gripped the back of Riku's shirt nervously,

"Yeah…"

-DING DONG DING DONG-

Sora flinched upward from the bell, out of habit. Riku let his arms fall as he looked pass Sora.

"…I'll meet you at the gate after school..."

Sora looked back up to Riku, questionly.

Riku looked back to him, "…We can talk then."

"But…" Sora didn't know what he wanted to say; he just didn't want to leave Riku yet… he didn't want this moment to be over… Riku's arms have only left him a few moments ago –but it already felt too long…his body where already longing their warmth…

"Sora?"

Sora looked up to Riku, only to have him lift his chin and kiss him swiftly, "After school…I promise." He said looking deep into Sora's eyes, causing him to blush even more. Sora could only nod slightly to respond. Riku smiled lightly as released his chin and suddenly slapped his butt saying, "Now get to class, Mr. Perfect Attendance."

Sora stumbled forward and then turned back smiling, "After school?"

Riku smile back, "After school."

And with that Sora scurried off to class.

--

"_After school…I promise."_

_Gawd this day is NEVER going to end! _

Sora thought as he sprawled forward on his desk apathetically, unable to focus on his teachers lecture any longer.

Calculus passed last period with no help at calming his nerves. They had a test that took up the whole first period and then his teacher refused them their break and got started on with the next chapter –hoping to get through at least two sections and have them finish the chapter at home so he could quiz them tomorrow. It was a nightmare. All Sora could do was look at Riku, who sat a few rows back while Sora was right in front. Riku would catch him at times and send him a reassuring smile but that was all. All he could get from Riku until they day ended and it was driving him nuts.

Sora hit his head off his desk in frustration.

"_Psst-Sora?"_

Sora tilted his head to the side slightly to look toward the direction the whisper had come to find Kairi looking at him worriedly, _"Are you okay?" _ She half mouthed to him.

Sora only nodded slightly and laid his head back flat against his desk.

Sora hadn't even been able to talk to Kairi at lunch –Selphie just wouldn't go away! No matter what he or Kairi tried. He had to suffer alone until that god-forsaken bell would just- "Sora!"

Sora sat up quickly to find his history teacher hovering over him, looking pretty upset.

"M-Ms. Trepe?"

She sighed, "Sora, this is the third time I had to yell at you for not paying attention and lounging on your desk!"

Sora flinched from the rise in the tone of her voice, "S-sorry Ms. Tre-"No Sora, three times. I only give three chances in my class." She sighed again; "I'm sorry Sora but your going to have to stay after school with me today."

"After school!"

"Yes Sora, after school."

"Oh-my-God! Sora got a detention! It's like the sign of the apocalypse! –EVERYONE RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

"Wakka get back to your own class or you'll be joining him!"

"Heh, sorry, Miss. Trepe…" Wakka hesitated at the door, "RUN GUYS RUN!"

"Wakka!"

Wakka ran out the door and down the hall laughing. Ms. Trepe, once again, sighed, placing a hand to her forehead and mumbled, "_That child needs serious help…_" Then she removed her head and crossed her arms as she looked back to Sora, who looked as though he was going to have a panic attack.

"M-M-Ms. Trepe, _please_… please –can I do it tomorrow? I'll do extra homework, I'll copy down the entire history book, just –Please don't keep me after today!"

"No Sora, I can't –"Please Ms. Trepe!"

"End-of-discussion, Sora! You're staying after, and that's that! …Now class-" She started as she walked back to the front of the class to finish her lecture as Sora sat there feeling his world crumble from beneath him…

--

_-DING DONG DING DONG-_

Riku waited at the front gate of the school as he watched the other adolescents hurriedly gather their things and rush by –they were free at last.

Riku waited…and waited and…still, no Sora?

He looked to his cell phone – it had been 10 minutes. Riku looked back up as the last few students made their way to the gate and through. Riku frowned as he put his phone back into his pocket and up at the sky…

_What's taking him so long…?_

"Oh! Riku."

Riku looked over to find Kairi next to him.

Riku raised an eyebrow to her, "Hey Kairi…uh hey, have you seen Sora?"

Kairi began to rub the back of her head uncomfortably, "Uh, yeah, actually that's what I needed to tell you…Sora got a detention…"

"He got a what?" Riku said leaning closer to Kairi, unable to believe his ears.

"Yeah, a detention."

"How did that happen? What could he have possibly done? Give the correct answer to a question asked to someone else?"

"Heh, no Riku. He was spacing out in class and hanging off his desk, and we were in Ms.Trepe's class –and you know how much she hates that kind of stuff."

"Anal bitch."

"Riku!"

"What? So…did Sora say anything?"

"Yeah, he told me to tell you he's _really_ sorry and to go ahead without him and that he'd come over later."

"Hm…" Riku said looking passed Kairi to the school, then when he noticed Kairi hadn't left and was staring at him, he looked back to her, "Is…there something else?"

Kairi blushed a little, and looked down As she rubbed the back of her head, then stopped as she looked back up to him, "Well…actually, I was wondering…"

"Yeah?"

"…What's going on between you guys? Did…did you change your mind, Riku?"

Riku just stared at Kairi for a minute and then sighed looking down, "I…I'm really not sure what I've decided to do but…" Riku looked back up towards the school, "But I just couldn't leave things the way they were…" Riku thought back to Sora crying and frowned, "_I just couldn't…_"

"Riku…"

--

"Alright Sora, you may go now." Ms. Trepe called from her desk.

Sora shot up from his desk, almost knocking it over, and practically ran out of the classroom, "Thanks Ms. Trepe!"

Quistis just sighed at went back to grading papers.

--

Sora hurriedly gathered everything he needed from his locker and quickly shut it and ran towards the school's exit.

_Now if I run all the way there I should get there before 5 and-_

Sora stopped dead at the doorway of the school when he noticed a figure waiting by the gates. His heart nearly stopped when the figure turned, his silver hair shinning in the light, and he flashed him a magnificent smile.

_He…he waited…for me…?_

Riku tilted his head slightly and ran a hand threw his hair as he called, "Come-on Sora! I know I'm great to look at, but I'd like to get home before dark!"

Sora blinked and blushed as he hurriedly run up to Riku. "S-sorry."

Riku just laughed, "What are you saying sorry for, huh?" Riku grabbed Sora's hand and laced their fingers, "Come-on…lets get going."

They walked in silence for a long time before Sora spoke.

"…You didn't have to wait for me ya know…"

"I know…"

"Did…did Kairi tell what I-"Yeah she told me, you said I could go ahead, but I stayed because I wanted to."

Sora just blushed and looked down.

_Why…?_

_Why did you wait for me?_

_Why are you holding my hand?_

_What…what are you going to say?_

They rest of the walk continued in silence as they reached Riku's house.

When they finally got there the sun had started to set as Riku went and opened the door for Sora, releasing his hand. Sora walked in and Riku followed behind closing the door.

"Riku dear? Is that you?"

"Yeah Mom, just me and Sora, we're just going to-"Oh Sora's here!" they heard Riku's mom rush in from the kitchen and over to them. She pulled Sora into her arms and hugged him tightly "Oh Sora, sweetheart! You haven't been over weeks, I've missed you!"

Sora looked and noticed Riku blushing and covering his face with one of his hands. Sora laughed at this and hugged Riku's mom back, "It's nice to see you again too."

She released Sora and grabbed him by the shoulders, "Will you be staying for supper dear?"

"Mom please…"

"I'm making chicken and potatoes, oh! And Riku's favorite paopu dessert!"

Riku sighed and Sora laughed again. He had forgotten how much he enjoyed going to Riku's house, how much he enjoyed his family, the love they shared…the warm feeling he got whenever he came here.

"I'd love to stay."

"Oh really? Oh Sora your so cute." She said as she began to hug Sora again.

"Alright enough, mom!" Riku went over and pulled his mom from Sora and subconsciously took his hand as he began to pull him away from his mom and to his bed room, "We're going to my room now, call us when dinner's ready."

"Alright…Oh! Wait! Riku hun, come here for a minute, I need your help with something."

"Huh? What is it?"

"Just come in the kitchen I can't reach something and I want you to try the cake batter to see if it tastes alright."

Riku sigh and looked to Sora releasing his hand, "Go on to my room…I'll be there in a minute."

Sora smiled lightly, "Alright."

Riku watched as Sora went into his room and then turned to help his mom in the kitchen.

--

Riku came back to his room door and grabbed the handle as he went to open it

_Alright now that that's done (geez is there ever enough delays) I just go in and-_

Riku looked up and saw Sora, sitting there on his bed, just looking to him and…and at that moment, Riku forgot his train of thought…and the truth hit him like a ton of bricks…

And he realized that 

The truth was…

_Neither of them could be happy without the other…_

_Their happiness lay within each other…_

_Within being with each other…_

_And there was nothing either one of them could do to change that_

_…even if they wanted to_

_The truth was there_

_And Riku couldn't change that-_

_He loved Sora_

_And Sora was in love with him_

_Neither of them could move on_

_To another love or their life_

Without the other

_Without being with each other_

_It seemed all of Riku's options were taken from him_

_Before he even know what they were_

_And he was left with but one_

_And it laid within the boy staring at him from across the room_

_It laid within taking him into his arms_

_And loving him for the rest of his life_

_Loving him and kissing away every wound that was ever_

_Inflicted on his sweet heart…_

And with that, Riku crossed the room to Sora, reached out, pulled Sora into his arms, kissed him sweetly and held him close as he whispered into his ear,

"_I love you._"

* * *

Well Whatcha think? I hope you guys liked 

lol when i got to a teacher i needed a name for i went with the first game character i could think of that would match this teachers strictness and mood so _hello_ Quistis Trepe (o.o hope the Trepe's dont come to get me) xD well dont mind me  
Oh and did anyone enjoy Wakka's special appearance?

I think the next chapter may be the conclusion, so you can pretty much guess what will happens :)

But hey i wont know til i get started on it so, you'll guys know for sure when i update :)

Well Thank you to everyone for reading and please please please review :) (reviews make me happy!)

Take care everyone! oh and Happy Turkey Day! ;)

* * *


	5. Honesty

Hey everyone, I am so sorry it took so long to update. I got hit by a car so it uh...kind a took away my chance to work on this. But hey I'm back and I present you with another chapter. Really sorry guys, hope you enjoy!

BTW: this chap rated M

And not to forget-

Thank you all for reading and reviewing!:

AcerbusLuna, MikoGoddess, RubyRoseoftheBlackBlood, Captara, kivakogoa, YaoiFanGirl101, Miss Romantic

and everyone else who's reading, thanks :)

* * *

We Can't Be Together – Honesty

_"I love you."_

Sora couldn't believe his ears. He just sat there, numb, in Riku's arms, waiting to be waken from this prefect dream. To be wakened and realize Riku never loved him and that this moment would never happen, but…he didn't wake up. What was wrong? Did he need to do something more, something to make this moment even more perfect before he had his heart broken again by the morning light?

Sora frowned and closed his eyes as he rested his head on Riku's chest. And as he rapped his arms around Riku, gripping the back of his shirt, pulling himself as close as he could to him, thought

_Please… don't say anything more…just please… don't break my heart again…please?_

Tears welled behind Sora's eyelids

_Don't say it isn't right…don't tell me we cant be together…don't say that ever again, please don't say it…_

"Sora?"

Sora hiccupped involuntarily, surprised from Riku's voice.

Worried, Riku pulled Sora from him by his shoulders to try and get a better look at him, "Sora? What's wrong?"

Sora looked up to Riku as tears streamed down his face, "_We can't be together…_"

"What?"

Sora shook his head and then lowered it as he began to whip away his tears with the side of his hand, "That's…that's what you said to me…" Sora looked back up to Riku with a pained expression and tear filled eyes, "When _I_ told you that I loved you."

Riku just stared at Sora with a saddened expression.

"How can that be?" Sora started, as he desperately searched Riku's eyes, "How can you say you love me after saying that? How could you love me and _say _that? Why? _How?_"

Sora turned his head down as he hid his eyes in his arm and hiccupped. After trembling for a moment he continued, voice thick with tears.

"Is it sympathy? …Did you find it wrong then? …What about now? What changed?"

"Sora…no…I-"

"Then what is it!?" Sora turned back to Riku with angry tear filled eyes but Riku knew he was just hiding behind the anger, to hide his pain… Riku could see right through him.

"Don't you dare bring up your guilt, Riku! I already told you I forgave you! There's no reason for it now…and even if that was it--even if it was…!" Sora stopped and covered his eyes with both hands as he cried.

"Even it was guilt… If you felt that much guilt you would have been with me even if you didn't love me!" Sora cried for a moment more before continuing, "I-I just don't understand…" his voice lowered to almost a whisper, "_What's so wrong with it…_" then he looked back to Riku, eyes clouded, as though he was in a daze, "_What wrong with me?_" Sora's voice cracked at the end, eyes threatening to drop more tears.

"No, Sora…" unable to hold back any longer, Riku pulled Sora into his arms and held him as the boy sobbed, "There's nothing wrong with it…or with you. And you were right, it was my guilt, and I was selfish in the way I dealt with it…"

Sora gripped Riku's shirt and continued to soak it with his tears.

Riku sighed, "Sora, how can I prove to you that I love you? What do I have to do?"

Not getting a reply, Riku pulled Sora from him again and lifted his chin, "Please, Sora, I'm clueless…"

Sora stared into Riku's eyes for a moment and then lowered them, as though in thought. Then after a moment Sora blinked away his remaining tears and then lifted his gaze to lock with Riku's as he replied, "Make me yours."

Riku stared at Sora, speechless.

"Sora…"

Sora smiled sadly, "Can't do it, can you?"

Riku continued to gap at Sora. Sora turned his gaze from Riku, his hand dropped from Sora's chin, as Sora moved to leave. Then as he was barely still in arms reach, Riku grabbed Sora's wrist.

"No, your wrong."

"Rik-"

Riku pulled Sora to him, rapping one arm firmly around his small waist, molding him against his body. Then freeing his other hand from Sora's wrist, he gripped the back of Sora's neck, lacing his finger's through his hair as he seized it tightly, pulling Sora into a deep, long, sensual kiss.

There wasn't a single undiscovered nook within Sora's mouth by Riku's tongue by the time they parted.

Sora's legs were trembling beneath him from earth rattling kiss he and Riku had just shared. Sora believed the only reason his legs hadn't dropped him was for grip Riku still had on him around his waist, pulling him beyond close to Riku's hard body. The rest of his body began to tremble from the thought… Oh, how light headed Sora was feeling. His only wish was to lay his spinning head against Riku's chest -if only Riku wasn't still gripping his head back so impossibly tight.

Riku gazed at Sora, watching him weakly breath in and out, trying and catch his breath, lightly flushed, eyes glazed over and almost closed…

_He's so beautiful…_

Riku thought as he pulled Sora even closer. A small moan escaped Sora's mouth as he felt something hard press against him. Riku took the opportunity to pull Sora into another longing kiss. He plunged deeper and deeper into Sora's wet cavern; Sora moaned again, from the pressure of the kiss, as he weakly fought with Riku's tongue for dominance. Soon he gave in and let Riku take him over.

Without breaking the kiss, Riku slide his hands down Sora's back and gripped the back of each of Sora's thighs and lifted him off the ground. In response, Sora rapped his arms around the back of Riku's neck and continued to kiss him back passionately.

Riku moved to the bed and gently plopped himself and Sora onto it. A small _emph_ escaped Sora's mouth as he was plopped down onto Riku's pillow. Riku only smiled at him as he moved to straddle Sora's lap.

"Now alas what you may think, Sora, I do love you."

Sora only looked up into Riku's eyes, blushing, as he felt Riku's index finger trace a line down his neck to his tie as he slowly undid it.

"And I have no problem making love to you, that is-"

Riku paused to throw Sora's tie away from them, it landed softly to the floor, where hopefully more clothing would soon join. Then as Riku turned back to his love, cupping his cheek gently, bringing his face close to Sora's, he continued, "That is…if you're ready for it."

Sora couldn't believe what he was hearing.

_Is this really happening? Is __Riku__ really going to make love…make love to _me

Sora's body trembled in response to his thoughts. Then after a moment Sora looked up, when he realized Riku hadn't advanced any further.

"Riku?"

Then Sora realized Riku had wanted a reply.

_if__ you ready for it…_

"Hm?" Riku replied to Sora, titling his head slightly in curiosity, having so much patience with him, it melted Sora's heart.

Sora shook his head to try and clear his thoughts enough to reply. Was he nervous? Yes. Was he scared? …yeah, he had to admit. Was he ready? …to be honest, Sora wasn't really sure if he was. No…he wasn't sure at all but… he wasn't going to let a little thing like his innocence get in the way of his chance to be with Riku. No matter what Riku said now, Sora couldn't be sure if he would feel the same tomorrow. No- Sora wouldn't take the chance, he's was going to make Riku fall in love with him --all of him, before tonight was over. He wouldn't lose Riku -couldn't, his heart couldn't stand for it. He loved him _so_ much-

Sora's thoughts were cut from him when Riku's lips met his in a soft kiss. After a moment he pulled back and looked to Sora, smiling sweetly.

"Hey…I thought I lost you there for a minute." Riku said as he gently rubbed Sora's cheek with his thumb.

"N-no, you didn't I-…" Sora closed his eyes and took in a deep breath to calm himself, "…_yes…_"

"Yes?"

Sora opened his eyes to meet a confused gaze from Riku, "Yes, I'm ready. Riku, you claim to love me, now show me…_take me…please_ Riku, _fill_ me, I'm so empt-" Sora could say no more as Riku's lips crashed against his in a very passionate kiss, which Sora felt left words unnecessary at this point, as he began to lose himself in the kiss and in the moment…

They acted as though there was no time to waste, as Sora rushed to undo the buttons at the top of Riku's shirt and Riku moved quickly to pull Sora's shirt out of his pants and unbutton it quickly starting from the bottom.

Sora only made it half way down Riku's shirt, when Riku parted his shirt and began to lick and kiss up from his belly to his chest. Sora whimpered and laced his fingers through Riku's silk hair. Then as Riku began to lick around Sora's nipple, Sora thrusted up in response, moaning.

Riku only smirk and slowly wrapped his lips around Sora nipple,

-knock--knock- "Riku? Riku dear, phone for Sora."

Riku lapped his tongue once more against Sora's nipple, causing him to shiver in response, before lifting himself into a sitting position on Sora, continuing to straddle him.

"Who is it?" Riku called back to his mother.

_Ohh_ Sora could feel how hard they both were through the thin fabric of their school pants, that separated them. Sora wished whoever was on the phone would just hang up so he and Riku could continue…

Sora moved his hands back up to Riku's shirt and continued to unbutton it. Riku felt the tugging at his shit and when he looked to Sora and noticed what he was doing, only smiled, as he stroked one of Sora's arms, waiting for his mother to reply.

"It's Sora's mother."

Both Sora and Riku froze as they shared a knowing look of what would happen next, or…more so, what wouldn't…

Riku sighed and took each of Sora's frozen hands from his shirt and kissed each of them lovingly before placing them gently to Sora's chest and slowly moving to get off the bed and go to the door.

Riku only cracked the door enough for his mother to see his not-so-thrilled face as he reached to receive the phone.

"Oh Rikuu." Riku's mom starting, lowering her voice so the phone wouldn't pick her up, "_I know __Sora__ has only just gotten here and, knowing his mother, she probably wants him home but don't look so down __hun__, you can just bring him over tomorrow or this weekend, for that matter….okay?_" His mother asked, stroking his face gently with the side of her finger. Riku only nodded and with receiving the phone from his mother, closed his door gently and moved to the bed, where Sora was now sitting up with his feet dangling from the bed looking up to Riku with his beautiful sapphire eyes, shirt still completely unbutton with the exception of the very top one, which Riku had left earlier with the desire to move on…

Riku shook his head to clear away the memory and gave Sora a reassuring smile as he handed him the phone, "Here…"

Sora kept his eye's locked with Riku's as he took the phone and brought it to his ear, "H-hello…?"

_"__Sora__?"_

"Yeah, mom, it's me."

_"__Sora__, honey, why didn't you tell me you were going to __Riku's__ today? I was so __worried,__ thank goodness __Kairi__ mentioned you might have been there."_

"Sorry mom, it wasn't really planed, it just…sort of happened… "

_"It's alright __hun__ but I'm coming to pick you up."_

Sora's eyes widened and he broke the lock of eyes with Riku, as he gripped the phone with both hands, "Huh? Wha-Why!?"

_"Your grandparents have come over to see you, plus dinners almost ready."_

"B-but mom I--I already told Riku's mom I was staying for dinner and-and I just got here…"

_"__Sora__ Your grandparents came all the way done here to see you-"_

_They only live downtown…I don't get what the big deal is… _Sora thought with a frown as his mother went on,

_"Now your coming home and that's that! …I'll be down in 5 minutes."_

Sora sighed, "Alright…see you then." and with that Sora ended the call and placed the phone on the bed as he covered his face with both hands.

"Sora?"

"_She'll __be__ here in five minutes to pick me up…_" Sora mumbled through his hands. Sora sighed and dropped his hands, looking up to Riku added, "My grandparents apparently want to see me and-" Sora sighed again in frustration as he put his head down and roughly laced his fingers through his own hair, gripping tightly, "_I have no choice…_"

Sora felt a hand touch his leg, "Hey…"

Sora looked ahead of him, lowering his hands, and found Riku kneeling in front of him, gazing up to him. It felt almost like de sha vu…

_No…not de __sha__ vu…that dream_

Sora's eyes widened

_No-no I don't want to wake up! _

_"__Sor__-"_

Riku was cut off as Sora grabbed him by the back of his hair, pulling him into a desperate kiss. As Sora rapped his free arm around the back of Riku's neck, he wonder briefly what would have been more disappointing; Waking up to find this had all been a dream? Or the fact that he had fallen for it…

As Riku's arms began to drape around Sora's waist, Sora began to feel more secure and the kiss grew more loving than desperate.

_-Beep-Beep-_

"_Sora__! Your mom's here!_" They heard Riku's mom call from down the hall.

"That was no five minutes!" Sora called frustratedly as the kiss broke.

Riku laughed slightly as he stood up and pulled Sora to his feet by the arms that where, a moment ago, rapped around him.

Riku began to button down Sora's shirt as he replied, "Yeah, that may have been the shortest five minutes in history but it does matter." Riku looked back to Sora when he finish and ruffled his hair lovingly as he added, "Doesn't matter, cuz we still need to get you ready."

Sora fidgeted at first from the sign of affection but then frowned and closed the distance between him and Riku with a hug, "I…" what did he want to say?:

_I love you_

_Do you love me?_

_What are we?_

_What'll happen tomorrow? …is it just another day? Will you still love me? _

-Beeep!-Beeeep!-

"Ohhh-I com'n already, okay?!" Sora yelled to no one as he pulled away from Riku and began to gather his things. Riku noticed a slight glistening in Sora's eyes when he had pulled away from him and called him, "Hey, Sora?"

Sora turned as he pulled his bag onto his back, "Yeah?"

"Riku smiled at him, "I love you, and even though I can't prove it to you right now, by making love to you-" Sora blushed, as Riku went on, "You still believe me though…right?"

Sora stared at Riku for a moment and then lowered his head, shuffling g his feet, still blushing replied, "…Yeah" then he stopped shuffling his feet, feeling more confident, he lifted his head and added with a bright smile on his face, "Yeah, I do. I-"

Wait where they anything more than two friends in love?

Sora wanted to ask but…

"Love you too." Riku finished with a smile.

He couldn't…

Sora gave Riku a small wave from the doorway and left.

--

Sora fell onto his bed after his grandparents left.

_Finally…they're gone… _Sora sighed _now what…_

Sora turned to his side and noticed his cell phone resting next to him. Sora's eyes brightened, _I know! I'll call __Kairi_

Sora scurried into a sitting position, dialed the number, and waited. Kairi pick up on the third ring, _"Hello?"_

"Hey Kai, it's me."

_"Oh, hey __Sora__ Wait- hey __tell__ me what happened today between you and __Riku__? You went over his house right? Did he change his mind? Did you-"_

"Alright, Kairi! Chill with the 20 questions!"

They both laughed, and Sora went on, "Now I'll tell you everything that happened today, all you have to do is sit there looking pretty and listen."

"_Sora__ you can't even see-_That doesn't matter." They giggled

_"Alright, __Sora__, I get it, I'll be quiet just-Tell Me What Happened Already!"_

Sora laughed and proceeded to tell her everything that had happened today, starting from the kiss and ending where his mom had brought him home.

"I was really disappointed though…Why did you have to tell her where I was, Kai?" Sora said in a whinny tone, Kairi laughed

_"Well for one, __Sora__, I _really_ didn't think you two would have been off doing _that_, and two, if I didn't tell her, she would have sent the army looking for you on top of calling everyone in town. So all I did was save her time and you from embarrassment."_

"True…"

_"But still, I don't know, __Sora__. I was joking about the sleepover thing before but now-You really want it, don't you?"_

"Kairi!"

_"__Sora__ wants to get in __Riku's__ pants __Sora__ wants to get in __Riku's__-"_

"Kairi Cut-It-Out!"

She giggled, he laughed. They continued to joke but then towards the end, when their laughter had faded Kairi asked, _"Hey…__Sora__?"_

"Yeah, Kairi?"

_"Well…" _ Sora could see in his mind, Kairi biting her lip.

"What is it?"

_"It's __just,__ you really haven't said it…"_

"Said what?"

Kairi hesitated before she replied, _"Are you two dating now?"_

"I…" Sora thought back through the days events. Riku never said it and Sora never asked…

"I don't know…"

--

Riku stood in his room, looking out his window at the black night. It was almost midnight, but he still felt so restless.

There was so much left unsaid. When he had asked Sora to come over, he really did mean to talk to him, to tell him _everything_, but…"

_"Make me yours."_

…but things turned out differently.

Riku sighed and shifted his fingers through his hair in frustration. He wanted to tell him, again, he was sorry for his betrayal. He wanted to let him now how, when, why he had fallen for him. How much it hurt…how good it felt. How much he didn't deserve him, or have his affection returned. How none of that mattered now because Sora _had_ forgiven him and Sora wanted _him_…Nothing mattered, nothing but Sora…

Riku looked to his cell, sitting on his nightstand, seeming to call to him.

_I wonder if he's fallen asleep yet…_

Riku lifted and opened his phone. He hesitated but then dialed the familiar number.

He needed to hear his voice, he needed to talk to him, he needed-

_"Hello?"_

Sora…

"Hey…did I wake you?"

_"No…no I was awake."_

Riku smiled, "Good."

* * *

Well? Was it worth the wait? xD prolly not huh?

'Why didn't they go all the way?' -well me and my friend AcerbusLuna talked about it and it seemed too soon for the story. What do you guys think?

Well I'm pretty sure the next chapter may be the last, but does anyone what a special bonus Lemon to conclude this story? Just thought I'd ask. If enough ppl want it I'll find a way to put it in x3 lol

Well please tell me what you thought of this chap -reviews :)


	6. Conclusion

xD back after a what? ...7 month wait!? Sorry guys xD was having trouble writing this...

well I'm back with the concluding chapter to _We Can't Be Together_

First off I would like to thank my best friend and editor SilentStarSong for lovingly editing my stories for me, for always helping me with my stories, and most of all: for always being there for me :) thanks hun!

Next I would like to thank you all who left me reviews for my last chapter: SilentStarSong, Miss Romantic, Miah The Storm Wolf, Captara, YaoiFanGirl101, Alphonseelric22, Galswingirl, Shinigamii-Ji, PhinMaginONLY, captainrules, mochiusagi, and soras-cookies. Thank you all for the reviews :) they really meant a lot to me.

And finally I would like to thank everyone who has followed this story so far and any future readers of it: Thank you very much; it is for you I write and partly for myself as well. Thanks you.

I really hope you all enjoy the final chapter of this story. :)

* * *

We Can't Be Together – Conclusion

The night was dark from the clouds that had covered the moon and though the breeze coming through Sora's window was warm, it was bothering him. Sora thought to shut his window, but he never budged to. He just lay there, under his covers, restless; wanting sleep, but unable to do so.

Sora wondered briefly why he couldn't sleep, why he was so restless. But that stopped, for he realized it was Riku. Riku was the reason he couldn't rest, couldn't relax. His mind kept wondering back to what had happened today …what hadn't. What he wished for, what he feared. What would come out of this, he wondered. What had Riku been doing, thinking? Why'd Riku say what he'd said? Did what he had done?

Did Riku misunderstand his own feelings? Did he actually love Sora this entire time but kept it from him? Lied to him? Rejected him completely, crushing is heart, over something as silly as guilt?

The waves of emotion going through Sora were causing his heart to ache. His eyes began to sting from the newly forming tears caused by his confusion.

_What does he want? Does _he_ even know?_

"_You were right, it was my guilt, and I was selfish in the way I dealt with it…" _Sora recalled Riku saying.

"Oh course you where… you're so stupid…" Sora mumbled to himself, covering his eyes.

"_It's just; you really haven't said it…" _Kairi's voice came to him

"_Sora, how can I prove to you that I love you? What do I have to do?" _he had asked

"_Are you two dating now?" _she asked

"_I love you_," he declared

Sora just lay there apathetically listening to his friends' voices as they came.

Then, after a moment, he thought back to where his conversation with Kairi had turned…

"_You don't…know?" _she had replied

"_No…" _he recalled himself saying, languished, "_No I-…I never asked…"_

"_Oh…well…what _did_ he say?"_

"_I already told you…Plus I-…I knew he hadn't…made any promises, but I-…I just couldn't bring myself to ask him." _

Sora recalled hearing his own voice crack toward the end.

"_I did want to know…I was just scared.…Scared-"_

"_Of his answer?" Kairi inserted _

"…_Yes" _

Their conversation had died soon after and thus they had ended it. It was an abrupt end…neither had known how to turn the conversation… and they both knew there was nothing more to say on the topic, but Kairi needed to express what she felt on it, so she closed it by telling Sora:

"_Sora, if by tomorrow Riku doesn't clarify things; you need to. Ask him what he wants from you. Does he want a relationship? Or is he just toying?"_

"_-Kairi"_

"_I'm not finished. Tell him what _you_ want. And if he doesn't like that, then he gets nothing. Don't let him take advantage of you. Don't let yourself get hurt anymore, Sora…"_

"_Kairi, Riku would never intentionally-"_

"_I know. I know he would never intentionally_ _hurt you, Sora, but he _is_ hurting you…that's the whole point. _

"_This has to end; I wont stand for this anymore. I love Riku just as much as I do you but he needs to make up his mind. This isn't good for either of you. Its not healthy and-… and it just needs to _stop_…"_

"…_I know…"_

"_I love you, Sora… I love you both with all my heart and I want you _both_ to be happy but… not at the expense of the other. …Talk to him Sora, or _I_ will. Goodnight."_

_-click-_

_Sora had sat, listening to the dead line for what seemed like a long time, before finally closing his phone…_

-o-

_She's right… _Sora thought with a sigh. Now, that he could finally admit it to himself.

_It can't go on like this… _

I_ can't…_

Sora stared out into the black night.

_Riku…_

Just then a light pleasant tune began to play…

Sora jumped slightly at the sound, only after realized it was his 'Simple and Clean' ringtone. The one he used only for his two best friends: _Kairi_ and _Riku_…

Sora stared at his phone that laid absently on his nightstand, glowing faintly, while playing the lighthearted tune…

It was late, he couldn't think why either of them would call so late… it really didn't seem like Kairi…

Sora sat up and took the phone in one hand and examined the caller ID.

_Riku_, the caller ID read.

_Riku…_Sora thought as he stared blankly at the phone, before slowly moving to answer it. He hesitated before he answered.

"Hello?"

He heard Riku's masculine voice come over the line, _"Hey…did I wake you?"_

"No…no I was awake." Sora replied softly as he moved into a sitting position on his bed.

"_Good." _was all Riku replied.

Sora rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Did…you need something?" he asked, feeling even more awkward.

"_Yeah…" _He could almost see Riku rubbing the back if his own head, just as awkwardly as Sora was. "_I…I want to see you._"

Sora blinked, "See me?" Sora looked to the clock on his nightstand.

"_Yeah."_

"Riku, it's almost 12, we have school; why would want to see me _now_?"

"_I …_need_ to see you… I know it's late. I just…" _Sora could hear him sigh in frustration, over the line, _"I'm sorry, forget it. I- …I'll just go…"_

"No!" Sora almost shouted, covering his mouth, waiting to hear his mother's footsteps…

"…_Sora?"_

When he heard nothing in the hall, he made sure to keep his voice low as he went on, "No…don't go, I… Where do you want to meet?"

"_Sora…?"_

"I know, it's alright, I wont get caught. Just tell me where to meet you and I'll go."

_Anywhere you go, I'll follow, _Sora left unsaid.

"…_The Island."_

"The Island?"

"_Yes…will you be alright getting out there by yourself? …Or should I wait for you at the docks and we'll go together?" _

"I'll be alright." Sora said as he moved out of his bed. Removing his pajama bottoms for a pair of pants he had left abandoned on the floor; after only wearing them for about two hours while his grandparents were over. He maneuvered all this while holding the phone with his shoulder to his ear.

"_Are…you sure?" _Riku was the one who sounded unsure at this point.

"Yeah." Sora offhanded replied as he moved to his dresser to find a shirt.

"…_No…never mind, I'll meet you at the docks, we'll take my boat."_

Sora pulled out a T-shirt and tossed it to the bed before allowing his confusion to wash over him as he replied, "What? Why? I'll be fine, Riku. Plus it will probably take me longer to get to the docks than you. So go on ahead."

"_I'm waiting for you and we're going together, and that's the end of it."_

Sora blinked for a moment, taken aback from Riku's forwardness.

_Did he just _tell_ me to do something? _Sora smiled, _He hasn't done that in so long…I'm a little surprised…maybe he's starting to get back to his old self…maybe…finally…_

"Alright, I'll meet you there."

"_Ok, get ready, I'll see you soon."_

"Yep." Sora couldn't help but smile at the thought of his old Riku coming back.

Then Sora stopped and paid closer attention.Sora had heard a click at the end of the last sentence. Not believing it he took his phone away from his ear and look at it

_Call ended…_

"I can believe he just hung up on me!"

Sora then smiled and sighed, "Yeah…that's defiantly Riku…"

-o0o-

Sora quietly left his house, shutting the front door without a sound.

After getting a good distance away from his house he began to sprint to the docks.

It took him, what he assumed to be close to ten minutes, to get within visual range of the docks. He slowed his pace to a walk and then stopped for a moment, bracing himself with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. After a minute, still working on calming his breathing, he looked up to find Riku at the docks, waiting, just as he knew he would be.

_He could have walked here and _still_ beat me…_

Sora thought to himself, but then as he looked up to see Riku with his usual flawless and revitalize self, he realized…he most likely did walk.

Sora sighed with defeat but then a glow surrounding Riku caught his eye. Sora looked back to find Riku surrounded in a pale light that accentuated his beauty immensely.

His pale beyond platinum hair glowed within it and his eyes, as they turned and caught sight of him, shined with magnificence. The aquamarine of his eyes causing Sora's breath to catch, as he could only stare on and half realize the moon had come out.

--

Within the placid moonlight Riku stood waiting patiently for the boy he loved more than anything.

_Tonight… _He thought with resolve.

_Tonight, I will let him know how I truly feel. The words will not leave me and there will be no bed to distract us._

_I will fix this. I will confess everything I've held back until now. Everything I meant to say earlier today will be said._

…_He'll understand everything then. Why I did what I had done …Why I had hurt him now and in the past… Why…I had been such a fool... I will show him -prove to him that I've changed. That I can forgive myself and love him to the fullest… Prove to him that everything I said to him that day he confessed was a blatant lie… That all I need is to hear him say again that he forgives me…and then I can forgive myself, and love him the way…he needs me too. The way…we _both _need…_

Riku looked at his hand, noticing it was more distinct and evident than it had been earlier. He lifted his hand slightly, then turned his head upward and noticed the moon was full and above him, showering him in its light.

_So the storm clouds cleared up…good, the light from the moon will help us get to the Island safe-_

His thoughts were left incomplete as he caught sight of his sapphire eyed angel; who was staring at him in what appeared to be dumbfounded daze. Riku could only shake his head in understanding as he smiled and turned to fully face Sora. With a hand on his hip and the other dangling to the side as he responded to Sora's gaze, "Alright, Sora, I know the moonlight does remarkable things to my looks but honestly, we really can't stand here all night with you gawking at me like that." Riku finished with a knowing smirk.

It took Sora a moment to comprehend what Riku had said, but when he did he blinked a few times and blushed fiercely in response. Riku only laughed and then opened his arms to Sora, "Come here, Love…"

Sora's heart ached for those words to be for him but couldn't help glancing to each side of himself before looking comprehending those words for himself and looking back to Riku.

"Yes, you Sora. Come here." Riku said, answering the confusion in Sora's eyes.

Sora felt like his heart was bleeding and was filled with joy at the same time as he ran as quickly as he could into Riku's arms, hugging him tightly. Riku returned the hug just a firmly, while he affectionately nuzzled his face into Sora's neck.

"Lets go…" He whispered into Sora's ear.

Sora only nodded in response, not letting Riku go…

--

Taking the boat to the Island never really took too long but for some reason it felt like forever before they finally pulled up onto shore. Or at least, that's how it felt for Sora. He wondered briefly if all this was taking as great a toll on Riku as it was him, but he pushed those thoughts to the side as he took the hand Riku offered him as leverage as he jumped onto the deck to join him. Their hands had fallen separate after Sora had made it onto the deck, to enable Sora to stretch but he still wished for the lock of hands.

"Turned out to not be such a bad night, huh?" Sora heard Riku say from his side.

He turned and found Riku's back to him as he was staring up at the moon-lit sky.

"Yeah…" was all Sora replied.

He fidgeted slightly and then rapped his arms around himself. It wasn't as if it was cold out, it was still pretty warm and the slight breeze only made it more comfortable; so it wasn't that. It was just, being this far away from Riku, even if it was only about a foot in length, with him staring off like that, made Sore feel very alone. He wanted to be near Riku, within his arms…that was all.

Not being able to help himself, Sora slowly moved to Riku and gripped the sides of his shirt as he pressed his face into Riku's back, just to be a little closer…

He felt Riku shift slightly, most likely trying to see him and responded with, "Sora..?"

Sora didn't move as he responded. "It's nothing. I…just wanted a hug…was all…"

Riku couldn't help but smile at the way Sora clung to him, knowing it had nothing to do with his clinginess because he was feeling the same thing: The need to be close to each other.

Riku grasped Sora's hands, removing them from his shirt and turned in Sora's embrace. Releasing Sora's hands he rapped his own arms around Sora's waist, crossing them on his back, and gripped onto Sora's shoulders, pulling him close. He closed his eyes and burred his face into Sora's neck, whispering, "I'm sorry…"

_Sorry? _Sora thought confused.

"I'm sorry for everything I've done to you, Sora. I'm so sorry…"

"Riku, I -"

"Sora…" Riku cut Sora off, trying to get his attention as he moved to rest his head atop of Sora's, breathing in his sent. "Do you remember when the door to our would was first opened?"

"Yeah?"

"You know I was the one who opened it, right? The one who allowed our world to be engulfed in darkness all just for some adventure and to be free…that was me."

"Ri-"

"You knew that was me right?"

"…Yes."

"Good… Do you know why I opened the door? Other than for adventure and freedom."

"…No"

"I wanted freedom, yes, and the adventure we always dreamed of, but the other reason was…I wanted them both for you."

Sora looks up and found Riku's aquamarine eyes boring into his with pure, raw, emotion.

"I wanted for our childhood fantasies to come true. I wanted to run away with you. And more than any of that, I wanted you to look up to me, to be proud of me, and see me as your hero. I wanted to show you what I could do, what I could accomplish, how much power I had. I wanted you to see I could protect you."

"Riku…"

"But it didn't turn out that way…"

Riku got a flash back of the incident that happened on the island almost 3 years ago. Remembering how desperately Sora tried to grasp his hand and how little he did to make the connection…

"Two things happened which were my fault: our hands never locked and I allowed myself to be swallowed by the darkness. That was my first mistake: Leaving you behind.

"After that I awoke in a strange place. I was alone, I was lost, you were both gone, and I had no idea what to do… Then Maleficent came to me. She told me the name of the place where I was: Hallow Bastion. She told me she could help me find you. I trusted her…well not fully….but enough to allow her blind me to the truth of everything…"

Riku looked to find Sora looking at him a little lost. Riku smile sadly and went on to explain,

" When I found you in Traverse Town, I was happy to see you, and I was hoping everything Maleficent kept saying were just blatant lies.

"I wanted to get back to the adventure we had wanted all our lives and I was eager to show you my strength; the power I had acquired with the help of Maleficent and the darkness. The power I planed to use to both impress and protect you, but I was taken aback by your forwardness and…well cockiness, while showing off your _keyblade_. You had made some strange friends and appeared to be quiet content without me or Kairi around… Or at least, fine without me…

"Even though you had said you wanted me to go with you, I didn't believe it, and plus, your friends didn't seem too content with me coming along either… "

Riku looked to Sora, and Sora could see he hated what he was admitting. Not because he was _admitting _it but because he was _guilty _of feeling such things. Sora gazed at him compassionately as Riku struggled to go on.

He shuffled a hand anxiously through his hair, "I was jealous, angry, disappointed, discontent… the list goes on; and it didn't help with Maleficent in my ear reminding how hard I had searched for you and feeding into my blind jealously by saying how you had replaced me with Donald and Goofy."Riku grabbed at his hair, lowering his head so his eyes were out of Sora's sight, his voice went on, unsteadily, "She went on saying how you valued them more than me. More than _me_. Your _best _friend… I was livid…I couldn't see anything that was real. My eyes played tricks on me. Tricks which were fed by that _witch's_ words."

It sounded almost as if there were tears in his voice as he went on, "She said I was better off _without you_…She told me to go with her…that she would help me find Kairi…and I believe her…every fucking word she said, and I left with her."

There was a long drawn out pause before Riku said anything more and Sora just waited patiently for Riku to continue. Sora knew in his heart that Riku needed to say all this, need to explain himself. Explained what he did and why. Sora was curious of all this but it bothered him that it seemed to cause Riku so much frustration, guilt, and pain to explaining himself and exposing his mistakes, his sins. Laying them bare and having to acknowledge them for what they were: the truth.

Riku continued after a moment longer, more composed. He lifted his head, locked eyes with Sora, and spoke normally again.

"The next time our paths crosses was within Monstro… I'm ashamed to say I taunted you and upset you quiet a bit. Truth is: I missed you, I _was_ glad to see you, really. But I was also still so angry with you…I felt that you had betrayed me.

"Our meeting was quiet bittersweet, but I wanted it. I was there because I needed Pinocchio. Maleficent said his heart may help Kairi but when I saw you…I couldn't resist. I had to mess with you… I had missed you…

"Then I tested you. I tried to get you to come back to me, to my side. I thought I was right. I was helping Kairi, I was trying. While you just ran around with your silly keyblade. That's what I thought, what I told myself, what I believed. You didn't come with me, you drew your keyblade and told me I had no conscience…you were right. I may not have realized it back then, but it was true: I was on the wrong side."

Riku sighed and looked up to the sky, "Next was Neverland… "I was still so upset with you then. You, standing there, all worried about _Donald_ and _Goofy_ and no questions about Kairi. I felt that her and I were less important to you at that point… No, that's not completely true…"

He sighed again and looked to the ground, "Yes it's true I felt you neglected trying to find her; focusing more on your own little adventures, but when it came to who you care less about…"

Riku looked to Sora, "I felt you could have cared less about me. You had _new_ friends. You didn't _need _me. You betrayed me…you replaced me…"

Riku shook his head and looked back to the sky, now focusing on the moon.

"I was so cocky then myself. So sure. I believed I was getting strong enough where I had nothing to fear, which in reality, I had plenty to fear, and it was all within my own body. All the power, the power of darkness. I was losing myself to it. I put to much faith into it, and feared it too little… I was setting my own trap from the start. Heh."Riku smiled and laughed humorlessly shaking his head at his old self, "I was so foolish, so _stupid_."

Riku paused, looking to the ground. He was silent again for a long time before mumbling the next world, "_Hallow Bastion…_"

He sighed pulling on the front of his hair in frustration, "God, Sora, I…" his memories flashed until one in particular hit him:

"_We've always been rivals, haven't we? You've always pushed me as I've always pushed you."_

"_Riku…"_

"_But it all ends here. There can't be two keyblade masters."_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_Let the keyblade choose…it's true master." Riku held out his hand and the key blade left Sora's hand and appeared into his own. _

"_Huh?" "What!?" Sora's companions cried_

_Riku examined blade "Maleficent was right. You don't have what I takes to save Kairi. It's up to me. Only the keyblade master can open the secret door…and change the world."_

"_But that's impossible. How did this happen? I'm the one who fought my way here with the keyblade!"_

"_You were just the delivery boy. Sorry, your part's over now. Here, go play hero with this."_

_Riku tossed a toy wooden sword to Sora's feet and Sora collapsed onto his hands and knees before it…defeated. _

Riku flinched visibly from the memory, "I was so…_cold_ to you Sora. I took the keyblade from you, insulted you, and stripped you away from your friends… Then after losing to you, I gave myself fully to the darkness. That's when Ansem, or Xehanort'sHeartless, took control of me…what happened after that was a bit of a blur until you closed me behind the door…"

Riku sighed, "I recovered my heart and my body and then you fell asleep."

He looked to Sora, "I couldn't figure out what to do to help you. But then while wondering in the darkness I met a man counseled in all red, calling himself Diz. He told me he knew a way to wake you. He told me if I got Roxas, it may help. So I did…well, you know what became of me after that.

"Then after you awoke, I followed you as you continued on your journey. I gave you hints and helped in anyway I could, without you knowing it was me. I even had the King promise me if he ever saw you, to not tell you what happened to me, ever."

"Riku…"

Riku looked away, "I don't know how but when Kairi saw me, she knew it was me. _Must have been that dog's fault…_but either way I couldn't hide from her, even with _that _body…

"Then when you and Kairi were reunited, it seemed like a good time for me to go but…you stopped me…"

"_Wait, Ansem!"I stopped, I knew you meant me._

"_I mean, Xehanort's Heartless…I never thought for a second I'd ever see YOU again. Just thinking about all the things you did makes me really mad. But-…But you saved Kairi, right? I have to be grateful for that… Thanks."_

_You didn't know it was me…_

"You didn't know it was me…and I was glad, but…It hurt at the same time. I was ready to walk out of your life for good. You didn't need me, and soon you and Kairi would be able to go _home_. I deserved everything I got: I lost my body, my friends, my home… but I was able to help you and Kairi. In the end that was more than enough. Enough to make me happy but no where near enough to be forgiven… I didn't deserve to go home with you two. I deserved to die alone in the darkness. And I was paining to do so as I made to leave but… Kairi stopped me…"

_She grabbed me by the arm, "Riku, don't go!"_

"_Kairi, what did you just say?" Sora stepped forward, not believing his ears._

_She was wrecking everything…_

"She was blowing my cover, I tried my best to defer you but…"

_She turned to Sora, "Riku."_

_I pulled away, "I'm no one --just a castaway from the darkness."_

_She turned back to Sora, "Sora, come here. Say something to him." _

_No…don't come near me. I wont be able to leave…_

_You came and she took our hands,"Here. You'll understand." _

_She laid your hand over mine. She held our hands together…Then she turned to you,"Close your eyes."_

_You obeyed, and my charade fell apart…and so did you…_

_You opened your eyes and looked to me. I could see you falling apart… and it was because of me…_

"_Riku…" you grasped my hand between yours…_

"_It's Riku. Riku's here…" You fell to your knees…my heart ached for you…_

"_I looked for you!" You started to cry…_

"_C'mon, Sora. You've got to pull it together."_

"_It was too late_… You knew it was me, you were falling apart…and I was falling for you…no…I was fighting hard to not admit it…I had already loved you long before that, but I wouldn't let myself wonder, I wouldn't let myself think. When, where, why didn't matter. I loved you…but I _couldn't_…I didn't _deserve_ to…I couldn't let myself…"

Sora touched his hand, Riku continued to turn away…

_You shook your head slightly and looked to me, tears rolling down your cheeks, "I looked everywhere for you!" _

"_I didn't want you to find me." your eyes widened at that…_

_Then your companions began to get the picture: _"_But it was him that was helpin' us, wasn't it?" _

"_Huh?"_

"_Those clues we kept finding. That must have been Riku."_

Finally he looked to Sora, "I wasn't sure if you guys would have ever caught on." He said with a very slight smile. A smile, Sora could see, that was masking so much more…

"_Why didn't you let me know you were okay?" You asked with a hand to your heart…_

"_I told you. I didn't want to be found. Not like this…I couldn't. I fought with Ansem. With…__Xehanort's Heartless-- when it invaded my heart, and I won. But to use the power of darkness, I had to become Ansem myself."_

"_Does that mean…you can't change back?" Kairi asked_

"_This battle isn't over. And until it is, I still need the power of darkness." but I still wondered…would I ever be able to go back?_

"_Then…let's finish it. You're still Riku, no matter what!" Sora…you were always so strong…and so kind…_

"I really didn't think I would ever get my original body back, and when I did… I lost the power of darkness but…I was myself again."

Riku sighed, "I was myself again, you were at my side, we were fighting _together_. Finally, for once we were fighting together instead of against one another. It meant a lot to me to have that chance. That chance to redeem myself…" he looked to Sora, "To redeem myself in _your_ eyes…

"Then when we fought Xemnas, I almost lost you…" Riku was staring at Sora with emotion Sora couldn't read. "When I saw you like that, wrapped within that ball of energy, your life being drained, I went numb… I just acted without much thought. You were alright in the end." Riku sighed in relief, "_You were alright_…"

Sora couldn't keep back any longer, pulling himself to Riku, embracing him strongly. Riku returned the embrace with just as much force, pressing his face to Sora's neck, breathing in his sent once again.

"I never really wanted to leave that beach. Part of me didn't want to go home. I was afraid…ashamed…I couldn't face them all…" Riku pulled Sora back to face him, "I destroyed our would, allowed it to be swallowed by darkness. I put you _all_ in danger. I betrayed you…I hurt you…I could never be forgiven…"

"Riku-"

"But I came back with you, I faced them all. All those smiling faces, welcoming us home…I felt sick. Sick with my whole self. I didn't deserve this: to be welcomed with open arms and smiles. None of it. I should have died, I should have been banished, punished, _something, anything_…"

Sora grabbed at Riku's shirt, "Riku please-" "I needed to be forgiven. But since no one knew what wrong I had done or just allowed me a clean slate, I needed to do something to feel worthy of the life I was given. So I tried hard everyday to make up to everyone what I had done: to them, to their world…to _you_. You…I …couldn't forgive myself for how much I had hurt you… Even more so for falling in love with you. I couldn't love you, I wasn't worthy. But then I took it as punishment. My heart ached for you, I wanted to be with you _so _badly but I didn't believe there would ever be a chance in the world that you would want me. So that was my punishment: unrequited love. I thought you loved Kairi but maybe part of myself knew but I couldn't accept that. I couldn't accept that I hurt the one person most important to me so much… and that person fell for me after all I had done. No, it just wasn't right. So I ignored it and all the signs… but then you confessed to me and I…_couldn't _accept it, because I didn't _deserve_ it…or so I had felt."

Riku looked to Sora and noticed tears forming. He felt panic rise within himself, "No Sora, I'm not rejecting you again I…" Riku sighed keeping one hand on Sora's shoulder, making sure he wouldn't leave, and used the other to run through his own hair, collecting his thoughts.

"I wanted to explain to you why I did what did back then and now. I wanted you to understand or at least have some idea what was going through my head. And most of all I…wanted to apologize." Riku looked to Sora sorrowfully, "I…am _so_ sorry for _everything_, Sora. I-…I wish I could take back every bad thing I did to you. Take back every time I hurt you, but I cant… I don't know how I could ever make up to you all that I've done to you. But I do love you and I want to be with you, if you forgive me and will have me."

"Riku…" Sora shook his head and laughed with a voice full of tears, "Of course I'll have you, dummy!" Sora hugged Riku tightly laughing and crying into his chest. Laughing for how happy he was, crying for the pain they both had to go through to get here.

They held onto each other for a long time just laughing, crying, kissing, and talking.

The night was beautiful. There was almost no sound except for the constant beat of the waves against the shore. And the island laid illuminated within the moon light. It was like day at night.

They ended their night sitting in the sand, holding hands as they kissed under the paopu tree. Just as they started to get up to leave Riku grabbed Sora's hand to stop him. When Sora looked to him Riku pointed to a single paopu fruit on the tree. It was full and ready to be picked. Riku smiled at Sora as he moved to grab the fruit and Sora blushed fiercely. After Riku had acquired the fruit, he jumped down from the tree and turned to Sora with a knowing smirk, "Humor me, Sora, and share this with me. I know you've always wanted to try it." Sora just blush as Riku moved to him. Pulling him into a one arm embrace, he bit into the fruit and moved his mouth to Sora's to share the fruit. Sora shyly accepted and after Sora swallowed his piece Riku kissed Sora deeply. They broke for air and Riku moved to Sora's ear and whispered to him seductively, "_If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain part of each other's lives no matter what._" He turned Sora's chin to face him and kissed him longingly.

"We'll be apart of each other lives, no matter what. I promise." Riku had taken a hold of Sora's head between his hands, looking him into the eyes as he had spoke. Sora could only blush and close his eyes in response as Riku moved in to take his lips again, now lovingly. Sora's gasps from all the feeling building in his chest and Riku only kissed him deeper. Riku pushed Sora to the sand and broke the kiss to move to kiss down Sora's chin and neck, stopping to suckling on his collarbone. Sora mewed lightly as Riku left his mark on his sun kissed skin. After examining his handiwork and feeling satisfied, he kissed his mark and moved to peck Sora on the lips before laying down on his side next to Sora. Sora looked to Riku a little lost as to way he had stopped and noticed Riku grabbing the discarded fruit, brushing the little sand that may have clung to it. As Riku finished he turned and notice the look Sora was giving him and smiled, "We should finish the fruit, just to be sure we do it right."

Sora blushed and his heart began to pound. Riku was being so sweet, just laying with him as they took turns biting off piece of the fruit, sometimes sharing. Riku would brush Sora's face lightly and speaking to him lovingly. Sora's heart felt it would burst from the love he was feeling from Riku.

After they finished the fruit Riku just kissed around Sora's face as gently as touches from a feather before pecking his lips just as softly, mentioning something about how they should head home, Sora vaguely remembered nodding and Riku standing pulling him to his feet as they headed for the beach…

-Beep-Beep-Beep- CLANK

Sora awoke in his bed feeling very un-rested. As he rubbed his eyes a troubling feeling came over him as he looked about himself lost.

_No…last night…its wasn't a dream, was it?_

Sora looked about himself for some proof that the night before hadn't been another cruel dream. Finding nothing, Sora started to become frantic before pausing and remembering vividly Riku kissing his collarbone rather heatedly. Desperate, Sora looked down, but found he was unable to see his collarbone. He frantically got up and rushed into the bathroom and looked into the mirror and found…a red mark on his collarbone. Sora slumped to the floor, far too relieved to move.

_It wasn't a dream…it wasn't…_

"Sora! Are you up?!" Sora's mom called from downstairs.

Sora pricked his head up and called back to his mother, "Yes, Mom! I'm up!"

"Well hurry up and get ready! Riku's down here waiting for you!"

"Riku's -" a load crack admitted as Sora's head made contact with the counter above him.

"Oww." Sora rubbed his head as he made his way out of the bathroom. He was going to go to his room, get dressed, and then head down but as soon as he left the bathroom he just _needed_ to know Riku was really there. Sora bolted to the stairs and flew down them to find…Riku.

He was just standing there, waiting patiently and happened to turn as Sora pounded down the stairs. At first he look surprised but realization seemed to was over him as he smile at Sora and opened his arms to catch Sora in an embrace as Sora collided to his chest grabbing onto him frantically hugging him tightly.

"Sora! Don't run down the stairs!" Sora's mom yelled to him as she entered the living room, then noticed how little attire her son had on, "And go get dressed young man! Your both going to end up late!"

Sora ignored her and clung to Riku, whispering, "_It wasn't a dream was it?_"Riku held him close and whispered back, "_No, Sora, it wasn't a dream._"Sora looked up to Riku wanting to ask him something, but not able to find the words. Riku smiled at him as said, "_We'll be apart of each other's lives, no mater what_._ I love you, Sora_. Now go get dressed." Riku finished with a smack to Sora's butt to get him moving. Sora jumped but moved to the stairs and pause for a moment. Then smiled to Riku before running up them and getting ready.

-o0o-

They had walked hand-in-hand to school, now entering through the gates. Their talk had mostly consisted of Sora asking questions about the night before and Riku assuring him that it had all happened. Riku also mentioned that Sora had kept nodding off throughout the boat ride and walk home. Riku had to listen as Sora walked into his bedroom to make sure he'd make it. Sora only blushed when he heard that.

As they entered through the gates they spoke of little more than of casual things when Kairi ran up to meet them and stopped in front of them unexpectedly. "Hey!" she greeted them with a smile, then noticing the lock of hands had to look up and between the both of them with questioning looks, "You two, are you…?" She looked to Sora and Sora only blushed and looked away. Kairi turn her eyes to Riku, as did Sora, only less conspicuously.

Riku raised an eyebrow to Kairi, "Are we _what_?" Riku finished with a smirk.

Kairi raised an eyebrow of her own but followed up with, "Are you two an item now?"

Riku smiled and looked to Sora, "After last night, I'd hope we were."

Sora blushed, "Riku, don't say it like that!"

Kairi's eyes grew twice their sizes, "What happened last night!?" She asked looking between them.

Riku smirked.

"_Nothing_ happened!" Sora cried out, waving his hands frantically.

"Oh, I wouldn't say _nothing_."

"_Riku!_" Sora growled at him.

Kairi about gasped, "Sora! You didn't! Already!?"

"No!" Sora cried out desperately, "We didn't do anything like that!"

"Are you sure?" Kairi asked.

"Positive!"

"Riku?"

Riku shrugged, "Sure. Just like Sora said: 'nothing happened'." "She wont believe it, if you say it like that!"

"Who said I wanted her too?" "Riku!"

"Guys? …I'm confused."

Riku only laughed and pulled Sora to him, "All you need to know, Kai, is that Sora and I _are_ together now."

"Really?" Kairi asked unsure looking between them and settling her eyes and Sora. Sora blushed and nodded.

Kairi squeed and hugged them both, "I'm so happy for you guys!"

Riku laughed and hugged her back, "I'm happy too."

Sora just continued to blush and mumbled, "_me too…_" wrapping an arm around Kairi as well.

After a few moments Kairi released them to run off to her friends after motioning to Sora to call her later.

Sora turned to Riku once they were alone, "Hey Riku?"

Riku turned to him, "Yes, Sora?"

Sora looked about nervously before meeting Riku's eyes again, "Is it…really okay if we're together? I mean…I…"

Riku lifted Sora's chin so their eyes made contact. "Yes Sora, it's alright. We can be together. We'll be together as long as our hearts tell us to be. We cant be together forever. No worries, Sora." Riku said flicking his nose, "I'll always be right by your side, as long as you want me to be. No…I'll be here no matter what."

Sora only blushed and smiled, relief flowing through him freely.

"Riku?"

"Yes, Sora?"

"…I love you."

"I love you too."

And made there way into school, hand-in-hand…

There would be trouble in the future, Riku was sure. Much pain and turmoil. But, if in the end, _his_ Sora would be smiling like he was now, it would all be alright. As long as they we're together, as long as Sora was smiling, they could handle anything that came their way. That was something Riku believed now, that he may not have before: That together they could do anything.

They needed each other, they loved each other. Things _had_ to work out in the end. No…things _would_ work out in the end. They would be happy because they were together.

Riku watched Sora as he thought to himself, _I was wrong, Sora _

Sora shot him a magnificent smile, that breathed happiness._I was wrong…we __**can **__be together._

_If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain part of each other's lives no matter what…_

* * *

Well? How was it? I hope you all were left happy with it.

I know many of you wanted a lemon is this story but myself and some others felt it was too soon in their relationship for it. So any of you who would like it still I am plaining a bonus chapter to this story: a special lemon. xD makes me nervous though; I've never written one before. So I'm worried of the results. For those who would like please let me know through a poll I will have up in my profile for a bit. But just so you know I may be taking a break from this story so it may be a little bit before I get around to it.

The bonus chapter will take place a year or more after these events and will be on Sora and Riku's anniversary of when they started dating. The lemon will not be their first time. There will be much fluff throughout it and, most likely, little angst. So if you want, let me know :)

Once again: Thank you all for taking the time to read this story. It means a lot, really. :)  
Take care all! Thanks again!

And if you like, please review. I would like to know if the ending please you all :)


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